GMOA to launch fresh strike on Wednesday

The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) yesterday said it would launch a fresh strike from Wednesday over unresolved issues linked to the South Asian Institute of Technology and Management (SAITM).

The GMOA said the strike would affect Government hospitals around the country. Releasing a statement, they also insisted that they were working to ensure that all doctors in Sri Lanka were registered under the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) and alleged that a Minister with vested interests within the Government was working to derail agreements the GMOA had made during an informal meeting with President Maithripala Sirisena. 

“It is clear from the meeting that we had with the President earlier this month that he understands the danger posed by SAITM potentially releasing professionals unregistered by SLMC to the public service and wishes to address this issue comprehensively. However, a certain Minister is attempting to undermine this effort,” the statement said.

“Nowhere in the world are unregistered doctors allowed to practice. For many decades this has been the practice in Sri Lanka but there are currently efforts to end this requirement.”  

The GMOA was alluding to Health Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne, who last week dismissed the meeting with the President and claimed there would be no more discussions with the GMOA on SAITM. The Minister also stated that SAITM would not be taken over by the Government as demanded by the GMOA.  The GMOA has also called for Prof. Carlo Fonseka’s tenure as the head of the SLMC to be extended for another term.   

Cabinet last week also decided the Neville Fernando Teaching Hospital would be entirely taken over by the Government after the loan obtained by the institution from the Bank of Ceylon was paid in full during the next 10 years. According to the Cabinet decision made on Tuesday, the Ministry will follow an administrative model similar to the Sri Jayewardenepura Hospital to manage the hospital. The hospital is valued at Rs. 3.55 billion. 

The GMOA is to announce further details of its strike action on Tuesday. The statement also said the GMOA would establish district level committees to increase public awareness on the dangers posed by SAITM releasing unregistered doctors into the medical system.

IUSF protest dais to be removed from Fort Railway Station

By T. Farook Thajudeen

The parents of IUSF undergraduates who are staging a protest campaign opposite Fort Railway Station against the South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM) yesterday undertook before Fort Magistrate Lanka Jayaratna to remove the platform on 5 July. 

The protesting parents appearing through attorneys Deemani Wellalage, Siraz Noordeen, Nuwan Bopage and Namal Rajapaksa made this assurance following a request made by the Fort Police to the Magistrate on 30 June to remove the platform,

The parents also requested the Magistrate not to issue any order to the Police to demolish the platform before that date. The Magistrate allowed them to remove the platform on that day and warned them that in the event the platform was not removed as promised, the court would consider the parents of being in contempt of court.