The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) has announced plans to stage a protest in front of the Colombo National Hospital on November 10, demanding solutions to doctors’ salary and allowance issues and the shortage of medical professionals in the country.
The GMOA said it had repeatedly sought discussions with the Ministry of Health and other government authorities to resolve long-standing concerns over doctors’ salaries and allowances but had yet to receive a satisfactory response.
The association said the cancellation of tax-concession vehicle import permits following the 2022 economic crisis, along with increased taxation on doctors’ earnings and work-related allowances, had created further financial difficulties for medical professionals.
It also highlighted that one-third of doctors’ overtime and holiday allowances had been suspended under the 2025 public sector salary revision, with the government reportedly promising to restore the payments once the country’s economic situation improved.
Meanwhile, the GMOA warned of a significant shortage of medical professionals, stating that fewer than 25,000 doctors are currently in active service under the Ministry of Health.
According to the GMOA, no scientific, evidence-based revision of approved staff cadre numbers covering the entire health sector has been carried out since 2015, despite a substantial increase in healthcare services, institutions and units.
The association said the failure to revise staff numbers had placed an excessive workload on healthcare workers and posed challenges to maintaining the quality of healthcare services.
The GMOA further stated that it submitted a proposal to the government last August, seeking solutions to these issues through the 2027 Budget. However, it claimed that no response had been received despite repeated requests for discussions.
The association also conducted protests near several major hospitals throughout the past week over the unresolved concerns.
The November 10 demonstration will call for solutions to doctors’ salary and allowance issues, a revision of approved staff cadre numbers to address shortages across the health sector, and an end to measures that the association claims are aimed at suppressing legitimate demands.
The GMOA has urged the government to take immediate action to address the concerns raised by the medical community.
