GMOA calls 48-hour island-wide strike over appointment dispute

Colombo, April 8 (Daily Mirror) - The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) has announced a 48-hour island-wide strike set to commence at 8:00 a.m. tomorrow (April 9), citing a dispute with the Health Ministry over post-internship appointments.

In a statement, the GMOA said the decision was taken after the Ministry proceeded to release the placement list of post-internship medical officers, allegedly violating prior agreements reached with the association.

The union claimed that during ongoing discussions facilitated with the intervention of the President, it had been agreed to suspend the release of the attachment list until consultations were concluded. However, the Ministry’s move to publish the list has been described by the GMOA as a breach of trust and a violation of the agreed process.

The association further stated that it had already engaged in several trade union actions in response to attempts to politicize the transfer process of doctors, and emphasized that resolving the issue through dialogue had been its priority.

Condemning the Ministry’s actions as “unacceptable and unethical,” particularly in the absence of the Minister of Health from the country, the GMOA warned that the responsibility for any inconvenience caused to the public would lie with the authorities if the matter is not urgently resolved.

The GMOA has given time until 8:00 a.m. tomorrow for the withdrawal of the published list and a resolution to the issue, failing which the strike action will proceed as planned.