Connect with us

News

Health sector faces strike gridlock amidst pandemic

Published

on

By Rathindra Kuruwita

The Joint Council of Professions Supplementary to Medicine (JCPSM) yesterday vowed to continue with its strike after discussions with Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi failed.

The strike launched yesterday by 14 unions has crippled the health sector. OPDs were not operational and PCR and rapid antigen tests, CT and MRI scans were not conducted.

President of the JCPSM, Ravi Kumudesh said that the Minister had not been able to give an assurance that their concerns would be addressed.

“The Minister could have at least promised to present a Cabinet paper about our concerns. However, she said she wanted time to decide whether to present a Cabinet paper or not. It is obvious that she is under pressure,” Kumudesh said.

Thus, the JCPSM urged President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the Prime Minister to intervene and find redress to their concerns.

The Public Health Inspectors’ Union (PHIU) too withdrew from their duties, in support of the JCPSM. PHIU head Upul Rohana said that they had withdrawn from COVID-19 vaccination, tracing COVID-19 patients and their associates.

“The health sector is a mess and the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) is to be blamed for this. Everyone in the health sector made sacrifices during the COVID-19 period and no one resorted to union action. However, a few months ago the doctors got a significant boost in their allowances.”

The Government Nursing Officers Union (GNOU) has warned that if the Cabinet does not approve the guarantees given by President Rajapaksa that five of their demands will be met, they too will strike. The President had made the promise during a meeting with the Public Service United Nurses Union (PSUNU), led by Ven. Muruththettuwe Ananda Thera.

Among the demands agreed by the President is the establishment of a nursing university, elevating Grade One nursing officers to Staff Officers, promoting nurses to grade 2, from grade 3, in five years and to grade 1 in another seven years, a Rs. 20,000 allowances for uniforms, appoint a committee to consider the proposal to make the work week 30 hours (currently its 36).

The GMOA too warned yesterday that it would resort to union action if the government granted the nurses’ demands.



Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

News

Showers will occur in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts

Published

on

By

WEATHER FORECAST FOR 02 SEPTEMBER 2026
Issued at 05.30 a.m. on 02 September 2026 by the Department of Meteorology

The atmospheric conditions are getting favorable for afternoon thundershowers in the Northern, North-central, Eastern and Uva provinces in the  next few days.

Several spells of showers will occur in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts.  Showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places in the Eastern and Uva provinces and in Mullaitivu district after 2.00 p.m.

Fairly strong winds of about (30-40) kmph can be expected at times over the Western slopes of the Central hills, the North-central and North-western provinces and in Hambantota and Matale districts.

The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damage caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.

Continue Reading

Latest News

Sun directly overhead Anamaduwa, Moragollagama, Dambulla, Manampitiya and Valaichchenai, at about 12.10 noon today (02)

Published

on

By

The sun is going to be directly over the latitudes of Sri Lanka from 28th of August to 07th of September due to its apparent southward relative motion.

The nearest places of Sri Lanka over which the sun is overhead today (02) are Anamaduwa, Moragollagama, Dambulla, Manampitiya and Valaichchenai, at about 12.10 noon.

Continue Reading

News

SC rejects petitioners’ request for full bench

Published

on

The Supreme Court yesterday rejected a request that the petitions challenging the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution be heard by a full bench of the Supreme Court.

Rejecting the request, Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena said the consideration of the petitions would proceed before the five-judge bench.

Appearing on behalf of one of the petitioners, President’s Counsel M. A. Sumanthiran made the request when the petitions were called for hearing yesterday before a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice Surasena.

President’s Counsel Saliya Pieris, Ali Sabry, Geoffrey Alagaratnam, Eraj de Silva, Srinath Perera, Anura Meddegoda, and Maithri Gunaratne, along with other counsel appearing for several other petitioners, also made the same request.

Solicitor General Viraj Dayaratne, appearing on behalf of the Attorney General, pointed out that the authority to determine the composition of a judicial bench rested with the Chief Justice. Refering to Article 132(3) of the Constitution, the Solicitor General argued that the discretion to determine the number of judges on a bench lay with the Chief Justice and that no other party had the authority to interfere in the matter.

Counsel including President’s Counsel Nigel Hatch, appearing for an intervening petitioner, also made submissions pointing out that the discretion to determine the composition of a bench rested with the Chief Justice.

Continue Reading

Trending