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Take hard line on doctors’ strikes: Kananathan
April 11 , Daily Mirror - Former diplomat Ambassador Kananathan has called on the government to take a firm stance on doctors’ strikes, warning that Sri Lanka has reached a critical moment.
There are moments when a government must stop negotiating and start governing. Sri Lanka is at such a moment,” he said.
He stressed that when doctors strike, it is not a routine labour dispute or an issue of economic inconvenience, but one that places innocent human lives at risk. He noted that every cancelled clinic, postponed surgery, and unattended emergency carries irreversible consequences.
Ambassador Kananathan pointed out that the State has invested heavily in producing doctors, from early education to university training, with taxpayers funding a system that enables medical professionals to qualify without the heavy debts seen in other countries. He said this investment carries an expectation of responsibility.
However, he observed that during strikes, this responsibility is strained, with many citizens perceiving such actions not as protest but as pressure applied at the cost of patient lives. He added that there is a growing perception that essential services are being used as leverage.
Referring to international precedent, he cited a 1980 industrial dispute involving Singapore Airlines, which threatened the country’s global standing.
He noted that then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew responded decisively, confronting union leaders and warning that he would ground the airline if necessary, even if it meant dismissing the workforce and rebuilding operations.
Quoting Lee Kuan Yew, he said: “I do not want to do you in, but I will not let anyone do Singapore in.”
Ambassador Kananathan said such decisive action restored authority and ended the disruption.
He emphasised that Sri Lanka cannot afford hesitation when it comes to healthcare disruptions and called for a firm approach that includes ensuring essential medical services are never fully withdrawn, enforcing mandatory minimum service requirements, resolving disputes through binding mechanisms, and taking strict action against repeated violations.
He warned that failure to act firmly risks normalising a dangerous precedent where essential services can be disrupted to force outcomes.
“The lesson from Lee Kuan Yew is not about punishment for its own sake. It is about protecting the greater good with clarity and resolve,” he said.
He added that Sri Lanka must adopt the same firmness, stressing that healthcare is not just a matter of policy, but of life.
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