The Government Medical Officers’ Association’s 48-hour token strike is set to conclude at 8:00 AM on Saturday, April 11, after disrupting outpatient services at government hospitals across the island for two consecutive days.
The action, which began at 8:00 AM on April 9, was launched after Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa refused to hold talks with the union, stating he would not negotiate while strikes continued. The GMOA had accused the ministry of violating agreements regarding post-intern doctor appointments.
This latest strike followed a nine-day work stoppage that was suspended on April 6 after the GMOA executive committee agreed to pause industrial action to allow space for negotiations. When those talks failed to materialise, the union escalated with the 48-hour token action.
Ada Derana reported significant patient inconvenience during the two-day strike, with outpatient departments bearing the brunt of the disruption. Emergency and inpatient services continued on a limited basis.
No formal talks between the GMOA and the Health Ministry were confirmed. The GMOA subsequently took the dispute to court and announced future action would be determined after the Avurudu holiday.
