Doctors’ 48-hour strike disrupts hospitals across Sri Lanka for second day

The 48-hour token strike by the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA), launched over unresolved allowance and service demands, continued for the second day today (January 24), causing serious inconvenience to patients across Sri Lanka.

The trade union action began yesterday (January 23) after authorities failed to implement agreements reached on six key issues. These include revising the Disturbance, Availability and Transport (DAT) allowance, resolving transport issues under Circular 22/99, converting the additional duty allowance into a fixed allowance, addressing problems related to the research allowance, and establishing a special service category called the Sri Lanka Medical Service.

Hospitals nationwide reported severe disruption to patient services due to the strike. However, the GMOA said maternity and children’s hospitals, kidney hospitals, cancer hospitals and the National Institute of Mental Health in Angoda will not be affected.

GMOA Spokesperson Dr. Chamil Wijesinghe said the decision was taken after repeated requests were ignored by the authorities.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa told Parliament yesterday that the strike is unjustified, while Deputy Minister of Health Dr. Hansaka Wijemuni said he regretted that a mature trade union had taken what he described as a premature decision. The Specialist Doctors’ Association has also announced it will not support the strike.