NHSL deputy director forcibly held inside office by hospital’s minor staff

The Deputy Director of the Colombo National Hospital, Dr. Rukshan Bellana is currently being held hostage in his office by the minor staff of the hospital, Ada Derana reporter said.

A collective of 72 health sector trade unions recently carried out an island-wide strike action over disparities in allowances, a move heavily criticized by Dr. Bellana.

However on Wednesday (14), the health trade unions decided to call off their strike after Health Minister Dr. Ramesh Pathirana had agreed to a discussion with them. 

The trade unions representing a wide range of health sector professionals, including radiology and laboratory technicians, pharmacists and drug compounders, midwives, dental surgeons, public health inspectors, and entomology officers have engaged in strikes over the past few months demanding an allowance hike.

The trade union actions stemmed from the Cabinet Ministers’ approval of President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s proposal to double the DAT allowance paid to government doctors, raising it from Rs. 35,000 to Rs. 70,000.

Against this backdrop, a special gazette notification was published on February 13, declaring the provision of healthcare as an essential public service.