Northern Province doctors on token strike today as GMOA’s trade union action continues
November 3, 2023 12:14 pm
The series of provincial-level one-day token strikes initiated by the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) entered its second consecutive day today (Nov. 03).
Accordingly, the medical officers attached to all state hospitals in the Northern Province have withdrawn from duties for 24 hours until 8 a.m. tomorrow.
The trade union action commenced yesterday (Nov. 02), with the government doctors at hospitals in Uva Province going on a token strike.
After the government doctors in the Northern Province call off the strike at 8 a.m. tomorrow, the trade union action will be carried on by the medical officers in North Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces on November 06 (Monday) and 07 (Tuesday), respectively.
On November 08 (Wednesday), token strikes are expected at hospitals in Central and Eastern provinces.
Medical officers in Southern and North Central provinces will join the trade union action on November 09 (Thursday), followed by medical officers in Western Province on November 10 (Friday).
The GMOA assured that the functions at maternity, cancer, children’s, and nephrology hospitals as well as at tri-forces hospitals would not be affected by this trade union action.
The association said the authorities, who have turned a blind eye to the issues it has raised – including the brain drain of doctors, increased taxes and electricity tariffs, and sky-rocketing cost of living – should take responsibility for the inconveniences faced by the patients as a result of these token strikes.
