Strike during dengue crisis:
unprecedented action to be taken:
GMOA acting as a political party:
Minister Rajitha Senarathne yesterday said that the Government would take stern and unprecedented action against the striking Doctors. Addressing a media briefing held at the Government information Department, the Minister of Health said that he intends taking action, which had no precedent.
“As a trade union leader I haven’t take action against any trade unions during the past. But this time it would be different he said”.
He said that the masses are currently suffering a dengue epidemic and that they cannot condone with the actions of the Doctors given the dire situation faced by patients.
He questioned as to if the striking Doctors were actually human, given the fact that the Trade Union action was taken during a health crisis.
Students against the establishing of the South Asia Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM) stormed the premises of the Health Ministry last evening damaging property and holding officials hostage.
Senarathne said that it was ironic that students who damaged the property of the Health Minsitry had gone to the National Hospital managed by the same ministry for treatment.
The Minister further said that 16 vehicles were damaged during the ruckus and that the damages are estimated to be in the “millions”.
He further said that the renovation of the damaged property would be undertaken by the the Health Ministry through its budget, and that the funds should have instead been utilised for the benefit of the poverty ridden patients.
He further said that the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) was playing the role of a political party and not a Trade Union.
Senarathne speaking further said that lectures for medical students were to commence on the 26th of June and that it was unfortunate that the studentsn resorted to such heinous conduct.
