Due to a dispute between the Deputy Mayor of the Galle Municipal Council and the Municipal Health Officers on December 23, 2020, the Municipal Medical Officers left the Municipal Council building and set up an office near the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital.
However, the crisis between the Municipal Council and the Medical Officers has not yet been solved despite a number of attempts for a settlement of the issue.
A large banner was displayed near the main entrance of the Municipal Council stating that the respective two medical officers had been removed from their duties. People said that it was a sign that the dispute had further aggravated. No one claimed the responsibility for the display of the said banner.
However, the Galle Municipal Councillors claimed that the doctors’ action to leave the Council premises was not fair as a lawsuit has been filed in the Galle Magistrate’s Court against the Deputy Mayor for allegedly threatening and reprimanding the Medical Officer.
The Municipal Councillors also point out that due to the dispute between the two parties; many of the important duties of Municipal Health Department have been suspended thereby causing many hardships to the public.
When contacted, Galle District Health Services Director Priyantha Jivaratne said that the Karapitiya Medical Officer of Health office was newly established to maintain peace and for the safety of doctors. He also stated that the Public Health Inspectors of the Municipal Council should also be sent to that new work place and that the Municipal Council has no right to forcibly detain the Public Health Inspectors.
When inquired about the display of the banner, Mayor Priyantha Sahabandu said that the Municipal Council had no connection to the banner display and the Council was not responsible for that incident.“However, I will arrange for the removal of the banner,” the Mayor assured.