Massive health strike to cripple Sri Lanka’s healthcare

16 January 2024 11:14 am - 22 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Colombo, Jan 16 (Daily Mirror) - The strike action scheduled to be held today by the health workers is pegged to hamper the health sector and cause inconvenience to the general public.

According to the trade unions representing the health sector, non-doctor employees have decided to conduct an island-wide strike today (16) starting from 8.00 am.

According to the trade union leadership, the massive strike is a coordinated effort involving 27 trade unions within the health domain.

The primary demand of the strike is to express dissatisfaction with the government's decision to increase the Disturbance, Availability, and Transport (DAT) allowance for doctors.

The trade unions also demand they too be given the DAT allowance.

Hospitals experienced disruptions in services last week crippling healthcare due to a series of token strikes launched by the paramedical and supplementary health services' unions.

Meanwhile, the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) has taken a firm stance against the island-wide strike organized by health sector employees, labeling it as unjustified.

Dr. Haritha Aluthge, Secretary of the GMOA, asserted that 50% of the wage demands made by the protesting trade unions have already been fulfilled.

Addressing the contentious issue of the Disturbance, Availability, and Transport (DAT) allowance for doctors, Dr. Aluthge revealed that only 15% of the requested increment has been received by doctors so far.

He pointed out that despite the government meeting half of the demands, the protesting health workers continue to push for higher salaries.

“Their demand was to increase the salaries of government employees by Rs. 20,000. They have received Rs. 10,000 so far. It means that 50% of their demands are completed,” stated Dr. Aluthge, emphasizing the progress made in meeting the union's financial requests.

Dr. Aluthge further criticized the protesting health workers, highlighting the majority's position in the secondary and primary grades of government service, contrasting them with doctors in the senior grade.

In contrast to the widespread strike, the All Ceylon Nurses’ Union has opted to refrain from participating in the strike action, choosing instead to conduct a demonstration in front of government hospitals during lunchtime on the scheduled strike day.

Against this backdrop, the Health Ministry has invited the trade union leaders for a meeting to discuss their grievances at 12 noon today.

In response to the meeting, the trade union representatives said although they have agreed to participate in the meeting, the strike will not be called off unless a satisfactory solution is granted.

Comments - 22

Dr. Navin Perera Tuesday, 16 January 2024 11:56 AM

We can solve this problem if we get more Russian qualified doctors. We can get them for half price because they are not very good.

SLEx Tuesday, 16 January 2024 12:58 PM

Atleast they are not using tax payer money to get their degrees and then travel aboard without giving anything back to society or putting up private clinics and not paying tax. They have to pass the same Medical Exams done by any state they wish to work in. Sounds like someone who is jealous that they managed to get their degrees without ragging, politics and spending 10 years of their life for something that can be done in 5-6 years.

Ty Tuesday, 16 January 2024 12:59 PM

My dear, it is not the doctors who are striking now.

chitrpatra Tuesday, 16 January 2024 12:18 PM

Who cares. We are overpopulated and living with healthcare benefits beyond our means. Pay doctors more, cutdown services to those who can afford to pay something and let then aged population decline. Brutal but a grim reality

Mother Lanka Tuesday, 16 January 2024 01:02 PM

They are blackmailing the common man. SACK THE UNION LEADERS.

DISGUSTED Tuesday, 16 January 2024 05:09 PM

I bet YOU would have JOINED THE STRIKE TOO, if you were one of the health care workers struggling to FEED YOUR FAMILY AND THE LIKE. ESSENTIAL SERVICES SHOULD BE WELL PAID IF EXPECTED TO DO THEIR JOB WITH DEDICATION EFFICIENTLY. LET THE GOVERNMENT GO AFTER THOSE WHO BROUGHT THE COUNTRY TO ITS KNEES AND INTO A SINK HOLE AND USE THOSE FUNDS TO PAY THE HEALTH CARE WORKERS AND FEED THE LESS FORTUNATE WHO ARE UNABLE TO MAKE ENDS MEET.

Senpera Tuesday, 16 January 2024 01:11 PM

This is why unions are a bigger CANCER than even politicians on sri lankan society!

Chris Tuesday, 16 January 2024 01:13 PM

The jvp back to their old games.

Hopless Tuesday, 16 January 2024 02:13 PM

Next you will blame bad weather on JVP

warren Tuesday, 16 January 2024 04:09 PM

@ hopless - Chris is making a very valid statement. He is not hopeless as you are. The bane of Sri Lanka is the JVP-led NPP.

SLEx Tuesday, 16 January 2024 07:16 PM

Hopless - Not sure what the weather has to do in this context. Its well known that the unions that have been disrupting essential services are the ones affliated with NPP/JVP. Infact they threaten the state that they will do it right there in parliament. I guess you go deaf when you hear things that are negative against the JVP/NPP. You are Hop(e)less indeed.

Godfather Tuesday, 16 January 2024 08:24 PM

@ Hopeless - You are hopeless.

Mindset Change Needed Tuesday, 16 January 2024 02:03 PM

Shows the average mentality of Sri Lankan’s! Selfish

Tim Tuesday, 16 January 2024 02:36 PM

The unions are the biggest cancer we are having. Get rid of them, half of the problems solved.

sam Tuesday, 16 January 2024 04:26 PM

Who cares about the general public

Two Cents Tuesday, 16 January 2024 04:52 PM

Sack the prime movers of the strike. JVP will feed them.

Public Tuesday, 16 January 2024 05:17 PM

MLT job is not an executive job. They are categorised low in the job categorisation. Doctors are the executives in the patient management. They can't equalise 1 and 7 by doing strikes. Low IQ.

Tie Mahaththaya Tuesday, 16 January 2024 06:07 PM

The entire country is suffering due to the selfish demands of those unions. First of all they should know that they are not doctors even though some are trying to be.

VJ Tuesday, 16 January 2024 06:20 PM

The health services were crippled even without the strike.

Zak Tuesday, 16 January 2024 06:20 PM

funny how GMOA is not involved. if i can remember right they carried out Strike action against SL-singapore free trade agreement which had nothing to do with health.

roni Tuesday, 16 January 2024 06:27 PM

How did the Government find money to increase the allowance by SLR35,000/-. Surely, they could pay the others in the medical profession at least SLR20,000 allowance. Most Doctors do private practice an earn additional income while they guys who are complaining cannot do that. Their demand is justifiable and in fact should conjure other trade unions and expand the trade union action.

Man Wednesday, 17 January 2024 10:08 AM

In democracy, trade unions are quite vital. But, there demands are not fare to demand to treat like doctors for getting Rs. 35,000/=, allowance. State sector to get Rs. 10,000/= allowance. The president needs to travel over the world, too, for his pleasure as no tangible results, this long. At least, those trade unions must be fair.

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Massive health strike to cripple Sri Lanka’s healthcare

Comments - 22

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