Health professionals’ strike to shut down scans at 140 hospitals

By Sheain Fernandopulle   

An islandwide planned strike by government radiography technologists will disrupt critical diagnostic services at nearly 140 hospitals across Sri Lanka.   

The Government Radiography Technologists’ Association said the 24-hour token strike scheduled to begin at 8.00 a.m. on January 21 is launched due to the Health Ministry’s alleged failure to act against alleged unlawful and unethical conduct by an official attached to the National Institute for Nephrology, Dialysis & Transplantation, despite being informed of the matter in 2024 and 2025.   

As a result, all radiological services including X-rays, CT and MRI scans, mammograms, angiograms and radiology-assisted surgeries will be suspended during the strike period.   

However, cancer treatment units, the Apeksha Hospital in Maharagama, Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children, Sirimavo Bandaranaike Children’s Hospital in Peradeniya, Castle Street Hospital for Women and De Soysa Hospital for Women will be excluded from the strike.   

The association warned that trade union action will be intensified if the Health Minister does not intervene to resolve the matter, which has been informed to the ministry.