The Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) said that it would resort to an island-wide strike at any time from next Monday (19) over several demands.
Speaking to RepublicNext, GMOA Secretary Dr.Haritha Aluthge said that the demands include an immediate solution for drug shortage and low-quality drugs in certain government hospitals and a trade union action will be taken if their demands go unaddressed.
“During the executive committee meeting, we decided to launch a strike next week if our demands are not addressed. There is a shortage of medical interns in the country and the government has not addressed that problem,” he charged.
“The Health Minister is trying to appoint those who haven’t even passed their A/Ls as doctors when the Health Ministry itself says that even to become a midwife, three passes in Biology stream is required,” the GMOA Secretary said.
Aluthge further said that the doctors also face problems with regard to their transfers due to political interference.
“There is discrimination when doctors are transferred and there are many other problems. Therefore, we will call a strike on very short notice anytime from next Monday,” Aluthge added.
(Republic Next)