Medical fraternity in uproar over sexual assault on female doctor

The doctor had completed her shift and was walking to her official residence 

Upon entering her residence at around 7 p.m. she was attacked by the suspect

He had threatened her with a knife and forcibly brought her inside

The suspect then tied her hands, blindfolded her, and raped her before fleeing, stealing her mobile phone

By Sheain Fernandopulle   

Vehemently condemning the alleged sexual assault on a female doctor at the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital, the medical fraternity has issued a stark warning of resorting to massive trade union action over the incident if the perpetrators are not brought to book.  
Speaking to Daily Mirror, Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) Media Spokesman Dr. Chamil Wijesinghe said that authorities must apprehend the suspect by today (12) warning that failure to do so would result in a province-wide strike across the North Central Province.   
“However, the incident goes beyond arresting the suspect as it creates anxiety among doctors especially lady doctors with regards to their safety in future,” Dr Wijesinghe stressed.  
“As such, the authorities must ensure that no other female doctor experiences the same plight in the future. At the same time, the GMOA demands the immediate arrest of the suspect involved in the incident,” he added.  
In response to the assault, doctors at the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital started an indefinite strike yesterday (11), demanding justice. Specialist doctors have also decided to stop private practice in protest. 
The incident reportedly took place on Sunday night within the hospital premises.   
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) has also condemned the incident, calling on the police to ensure their safety and prevent further incidents.  
Further, Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa in an ‘X’ post urged all print and digital media to respect the privacy of the lady doctor involved in the unfortunate incident by refraining from disclosing her identity. 

Manhunt underway to arrest suspect

 By Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya 

A manhunt is underway for a suspect who allegedly raped a female doctor at the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital.  
   
 Police said special search operations have been launched by multiple police teams across Anuradhapura and surrounding areas to arrest the suspect, an army deserter.    
 They said five police teams have been deployed to locate the suspect, while a team from the Ministry of Health, led by the Director of Medical Services, has been sent to the hospital for an investigation. The 32-year-old doctor, who was training as a specialist, had completed her shift and was walking to her official residence near the hospital on Monday night. 
 Upon entering her residence at around 7 p.m., she was attacked by the suspect, who threatened her with a knife and forcibly brought her inside.   
 It was revealed that the suspect then tied her hands, blindfolded her, and raped her before fleeing, stealing her mobile phone.   
The doctor later returned to the hospital and contacted her father to report the incident.   

GMOA and AMS launch 24-hour strike over assault on female doctor

By Sheain Fernandopulle   

The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) and the Association of Medical Specialists (AMS) have decided to launch a 24-hour islandwide token strike from 8:00 AM today in protest against the brutal sexual assault of a female doctor at Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital.  In a press release, the AMS expressed deep shock and outrage over the horrific attack, which occurred while the doctor was on duty in her on-call room.   
The association strongly condemned the act, urging the authorities to conduct a swift and impartial investigation, bring the perpetrators to justice, and implement immediate security measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.   
The association also highlighted the increasing number of female doctors in the medical workforce—now making up nearly two-thirds of medical students in state universities—stressing the urgent need for safer accommodations and better facilities for female doctors, especially those working night shifts and post-graduate trainees.  
Furthermore, the AMS also urged media and social media users to respect the victim’s privacy by refraining from disclosing her identity, as such exposure could cause further distress to her and her family.