News
Docs granted significant salary increase, strike unfair – Dr. Jayatissa
By Saman Indrajith
Minister of Health Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, on Tuesday, said that given the significant salary increases granted throught the latest Budget, it would be unfair for doctors to resort to trade union action. He reaffirmed that the government remained open to discussions on issues within the healthcare sector.
The Health Minister addressed concerns raised by the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA), noting that its Secretary had announced plans for a strike over alleged reductions in allowances. He also pointed out that Opposition politicians, including the Leader of the Opposition, had met GMOA representatives.
Dr. Jayatissa highlighted that just two days after the Budget was presented, a former trade union leader representing the previous administration had called for a protest by nurses. This, he said, was even though salary increases for nurses had already been outlined in the Budget. He questioned the rationale behind such actions.
Reflecting on past events, Minister Jayatissa acknowledged that doctors had continued their service during various national crises, with some leaving the country while others played a role in supporting the recent government transition. He underscored that, for the first time in history, public sector salaries had been increased rather than just allowances, ensuring greater fairness.
The Minister also drew comparisons with the previous administration, recalling that in 2023, the GMOA had met then-President Ranil Wickremesinghe to request an increase in allowances. At the time, they were informed that such adjustments would require negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Despite this, doctors did not protest against the government. In contrast, the current administration had approved salary hikes without any prior demands from medical professionals, incorporating increases in basic salaries, special duty allowances, holiday allowances, and annual increments, along with tax relief on supplementary earnings.
In addition to the previously mentioned salary increases, other categories of medical officers will also see significant adjustments. The basic salary for second-grade medical officers will rise from Rs. 58,305 to Rs. 101,370, reflecting an increase of Rs. 43,065. First-grade medical officers will receive an increment of Rs. 53,865, raising their salaries from Rs. 71,805 to Rs. 125,670. Meanwhile, junior specialists will experience a salary increase of Rs. 68,000, bringing their earnings from Rs. 88,000 to Rs. 156,000.
Further adjustments have been made across various medical officer grades. Grade 1 Preliminary Medical Officers will see their salaries increase from Rs. 56,960 to Rs. 98,950, an increment of Rs. 41,990. Similarly, MO Grade 2 salaries will rise from Rs. 63,685 to Rs. 111,050, reflecting an increase of Rs. 47,365, while MO Grade 2 (Advanced) salaries will be raised from Rs. 69,635 to Rs. 121,770, marking a Rs. 52,135 increment. For MO Grade 1 officers, salaries will increase from Rs. 80,485 to Rs. 141,270 (+Rs. 60,785), and for MO Grade 1 (Advanced), the increase will be from Rs. 86,695 to Rs. 152,970 (+Rs. 65,973). Senior MO Grade 1 officers will see their earnings rise from Rs. 93,505 to Rs. 164,670, reflecting a Rs. 71,165 increment, while MO Grade 1 (Specialist Entry Level) officers will have their salaries raised from Rs. 100,015 to Rs. 176,370 (+Rs. 76,355). The highest increase is for MO Grade 1 (Senior Specialist) officers, whose salaries will be revised from Rs. 104,315 to Rs. 184,170, marking a substantial increase of Rs. 79,815.
Additionally, duty-related allowances have been revised to reflect higher compensation. General Medical Officers will now receive Rs. 765, up from Rs. 687, while Second-Grade Medical Officers will see an increase from Rs. 796 to Rs. 925. First-Grade Medical Officers will receive Rs. 1,307, up from Rs. 1,101, and Junior Specialists will have their duty allowances raised from Rs. 1,302 to Rs. 1,542.
Leave-related allowances have also been adjusted accordingly. General Medical Officers will now receive Rs. 3,138, reflecting a Rs. 423.50 increase from the previous Rs. 2,714.50. Second-Grade Medical Officers will see their allowance rise from Rs. 2,915 to Rs. 3,379, while Grade 1 MOs will have an increase from Rs. 3,590 to Rs. 4,189. Junior Specialists will experience an increase of Rs. 800, bringing their allowance from Rs. 4,400 to Rs. 5,200.
Furthermore, annual salary increments have been significantly raised. Increments that were previously Rs. 1,335 will now be Rs. 2,400, while those at Rs. 1,340 will rise to Rs. 2,420. Similarly, salary increments of Rs. 1,630 will now be Rs. 2,940, and those at Rs. 2,170 will be revised to Rs. 3,900. These changes collectively represent a substantial improvement in the remuneration of medical professionals in the public sector.
The government has introduced substantial tax relief to further ease the financial burden on medical professionals. Under the new system:
* Those earning between Rs. 100,000 and Rs. 150,000, who previously paid between Rs. 35,000 and Rs. 40,000 in taxes, are now fully exempt.
* Salaries up to Rs. 200,000 now enjoy 72% tax relief.
* Salaries up to Rs. 250,000 receive 62% tax relief.
* Those earning Rs. 300,000 benefit from 47% tax relief.
With these salary hikes and tax benefits combined, doctors will see a substantial increase in their take-home earnings.
Minister Jayatissa said that his first official engagement upon assuming office was a discussion with the GMOA, which lasted nearly one hour and forty minutes. Despite this, the decision to pursue trade union action was made.
He said that launching strikes and protests, despite the generous salary increases, is unwarranted. The Minister urged medical professionals to engage in discussions rather than resorting to disruptive actions, stressing that any grievances can be addressed through dialogue with the government.
“I call on all medical professionals to act responsibly and refrain from engaging in unjustified trade union actions. Our doors are always open for discussion, and we remain committed to finding amicable solutions,” he said.
The Government’s ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund, established to provide relief and support to communities affected by Cyclone Ditwah, continues to receive financial contributions on a daily basis.
Accordingly, the Containers Transport Owners Association made a financial contribution of Rs. 1.5 million, while the Association of SriLankan Airlines Licensed Aircraft Engineers contributed Rs. 1.35 million to the Fund.
The respective cheques were formally presented to the Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, at the Presidential Secretariat on Friday (19).
The occasion was attended by W. M. S. K. Manjula, Chairman of the Containers Transport Owners Association, together with Dilip Nihal Anslem Perera and Jayantha Karunadhipathi.
Representing the Association of SriLankan Airlines Licensed Aircraft Engineers were Deshan Rajapaksa, Samudika Perera and Devshan Rodrigo handed over the cheque.
A meeting between Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya and a delegation of UNICEF representatives was held on Saturday, (December 20) at the Prime Minister’s Office.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister explained the measures taken by the Government to ensure the protection of the affected student community and to restore the damaged school system, as well as the challenges encountered in this process.
The Prime Minister stated that reopening schools located in landslide-prone areas would be extremely dangerous. Accordingly, the Government is focusing on identifying such schools and relocating them to suitable locations based on scientific assessments.
The Prime Minister further noted that financial assistance has been provided to students affected by the disaster, enabling parents to send their children back to school without an additional financial burden. Emphasizing that school is the safest place for children after their homes, the Prime Minister expressed confidence that the school environment would help restore and improve students’ mental well-being
The Prime Minister also highlighted that attention has been given to several key areas, including the relocation of disaster-affected schools, restoration of school infrastructure, merging and operating certain schools jointly, facilitating teaching and learning through digital and technological strategies, and providing special transportation facilities. She emphasized that the Government is examining these issues and is committed to finding long-term solutions.
The UNICEF representatives commended the Government’s commitment and the initiatives undertaken to restore the education sector and assured their support to the Government. Both parties also discussed working together collaboratively on future initiatives.
The meeting was attended by the UNICEF representatives to Sri Lanka Emma Brigham, Lakshmi Sureshkumar, Nishantha Subash, and Yashinka Jayasinghe, along with Secretary to the Ministry of Education Nalaka Kaluwewa, Director of Education Dakshina Kasturiarachchi, Deputy Directors Kasun Gunarathne and Udara Dikkumbura.
(Prime Minister’s Media Division)
Drug controversy:
“Setting up state-of-the-art drug testing facility will cost Rs 5 billion”
Activists call for legal action against politicians, bureaucrats
Serious questions have been raised over Sri Lanka’s drug regulatory system following revelations that the National Medicines Regulatory Authority’s (NMRA) quality control laboratory is not accredited by the Sri Lanka Accreditation Board (SLAB), casting doubt on both the reliability of local test results and the adequacy of oversight of imported medicines.
Medical and civil rights groups warn that the issue points to a systemic regulatory failure rather than an isolated lapse, with potential political and financial consequences for the State.
Chairman of the Federation of Medical and Civil Rights Professional Associations, Specialist Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa, said the controversy surrounding the Ondansetron injection, which was later found to be contaminated, had exposed deep weaknesses in drug regulation and quality assurance.
Dr. Sanjeewa said that the manufacturer had confirmed that the drug had been imported into Sri Lanka on four occasions this year, despite later being temporarily withdrawn from use. The drug was manufactured in India in November 2024 and in May and August 2025, and imported to Sri Lanka in February, July and September. On each occasion, 67,600 phials were procured.
Dr. Sanjeewa said the company had informed the NMRA that the drug was tested in Indian laboratories, prior to shipment, and passed all required quality checks. The manufacturer reportedly tested the injections against 10 parameters, including basic quality standards,
pH value, visual appearance, component composition, quantity per phial, sterility levels, presence of other substances, bacterial toxin levels and spectral variations.
According to documents submitted to the NMRA, no bacterial toxins were detected in the original samples, and the reported toxin levels were within European safety limits of less than 9.9 international units per milligram.
Dr. Sanjeewa said the credibility of local regulatory oversight had come under scrutiny, noting that the NMRA’s quality control laboratory was not SLAB-accredited. He said establishing a fully equipped, internationally accredited laboratory would cost nearly Rs. 5 billion.
He warned that the failure to invest in such a facility could have grave consequences, including continued loss of life due to substandard medicines and the inability of the State to recover large sums of public funds paid to pharmaceutical companies for defective drugs.
“If urgent steps are not taken, public money will continue to be lost and accountability will remain elusive,” Dr. Sanjeewa said.
He added that if it was ultimately confirmed that the drug did not contain bacterial toxins at the time it entered Sri Lanka, the fallout would be even more damaging, severely undermining the credibility of the country’s health system and exposing weaknesses in health administration.
Dr. Sanjeewa said public trust in the health sector had already been eroded and called for legal action against all politicians and public officials responsible for regulatory failures linked to the incident.
by Chaminda Silva ✍️
Financial contributions received for ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund
UNICEF representatives and PM discuss rebuilding schools affected by the Disaster
A few showers may occur in the Uva province and in Ampara, Batticaloa, Matale, Nuwara-Eliya, and Hambantota districts
NMRA laboratory lacks SLAB accreditation
Air quality deteriorating in Sri Lanka
Cardinal urges govt. not to weaken key socio-cultural institutions
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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