Doctors hold patients hostage as strike enters second day

27 January 2026 01:01 pm Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 3 Bookmark

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Colombo, Jan. 27 (Daily Mirror) - Patients across the country continued to face disruption as doctors pressed ahead with their trade union action for a second consecutive day following the launch of an island-wide strike by the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) from 8.00 a.m. yesterday.

According to the GMOA, doctors have withdrawn from key routine activities, including prescribing medicines to be purchased from outside pharmacies and recommending laboratory tests to be carried out externally.

While emergency services are reportedly continuing, the reality is that thousands of patients who rely on daily government hospital services will face inconvenience, delays and uncertainty.

Speaking to the Daily Mirror, GMOA Secretary Dr Prabath Sugathadasa said the action is due to the Health Ministry’s failure to implement previously agreed solutions. Addressing a media briefing on Saturday, he said the trade union action would affect government hospitals across the country from yesterday morning.

The latest action comes just two days after a 48-hour token strike staged from January 23.

While doctors have the right to voice their grievances, repeated trade union actions have placed patients in an increasingly difficult position. For many, especially the poor, the elderly, and the chronically ill, government hospitals are not an option but a necessity.

Responding to the ongoing strike, Deputy Minister of Health Dr Hansaka Wijemuni said the ministry is open for discussions, and the doctors seem not to have shown an interest in discussing their grievances.

Comments - 3

Cheers Tuesday, 27 January 2026 01:48 PM

Aragalayata Jayawewa government is now getting what they preached before the people got caught to these buffoons and now paying the price

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Ram P Tuesday, 27 January 2026 02:24 PM

The poor suffers and the rich will be cared for at channel centres as the Doctors have more time. Government must stop luxury imports and import the commonly prescribed drugs and release them to Hospitals.

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Adwani Tuesday, 27 January 2026 08:53 PM

During the Covid, they were preaching like saviours to prevent death and now they are engaged in bringing death to patients.

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