Health workers’ strike in Sri Lanka continues for the second day

The health workers’ strike action which was launched across Sri Lanka by 72 trade unions on Thursday (February 01) at 06:30 AM entered its second day today (February 02).

The strike action started to protest the government’s refusal to grant Disturbance, Availability and Transport (DAT) allowance of Rs. 35,000 to the healthcare professionals.

In response to the country-wide strike, tri-force personnel have been deployed to government hospitals across Sri Lanka as per the needs of each facility to ensure uninterrupted provision of essential medical services to the public.

On January 08, the Cabinet of Ministers approved President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s proposal to double the Disturbance, Availability and Transport (DAT) allowance paid to government doctors, raising it from Rs. 35,000 to Rs. 70,000.

Since then, the health sector employees’ trade unions representing a wide range of health sector professionals, including radiology and laboratory technicians, pharmacists and drug compounders, midwives, Public Health Inspectors, and entomology officers have launched strikes on multiple occasions in protest of the government’s decision and demanding an allowance increase for all health sector employees.

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