JCPSM puts off strike till July 13 

Patients waiting for treatment at the National Hospital, Colombo, yesterday. (Pic by Thushara Atapattu).

By Rathindra Kuruwita

The Joint Council of Professions Supplementary to Medicine (JCPSM) yesterday suspended its strike after Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi agreed to present a Cabinet paper on their demands on 13 July 2021.

“She agreed to include our five main demands in the Cabinet paper. We decided to suspend the union action unitl 13 July and thereafter react, based on whether the Minister keeps her word,” President of the JCPSM, Ravi Kumudesh told The Island.

Kumudesh said that services of JCPSM personnel would resume work soon.

“When doctors try to interfere, there will be chaos in the system. The Health Ministry should keep this in mind,” he said.

The Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) has warned union action if the government grants the demands made by nurses and the JCPSM members, without consulting the Salaries and Cadre Commission.

“There is a national policy on how ot handle such demands and the GMOA has always backed this mechanism.

Some nursing unions attempted to display their might recently and following their example other unions are now striking. If the government grants these demands there will be chaos,” Dr. Senal Fernando, Secretary to the GMOA said.