GMOA announces protests at major hospitals across Sri Lanka over doctors’ grievances

Daily Mirror and Newswire report that the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) intends to hold demonstrations at major hospitals across Sri Lanka over the coming days. Newswire says the association presents the action as a way to highlight unresolved matters affecting medical staff and the country’s free healthcare service.

Daily Mirror and Newswire cite pay and allowance concerns, shortages of personnel and objections to laws the association considers repressive as reasons for the planned protests. Newswire says the GMOA is seeking the return of cut allowances, salaries it considers fair in relation to healthcare workers’ duties, and sufficient workplace facilities.

Newswire reports the GMOA said doctors and other healthcare personnel relinquished one-third of their extra-duty and holiday payments during the economic crisis, as support for economic policies implemented by successive administrations. The association contends that official claims of economic recovery have not been matched by sufficient action on healthcare workers’ concerns.

Newswire says the GMOA reported making repeated requests to meet President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya and the health minister about healthcare-sector matters and its recommendations for the 2027 Budget. The association said it had yet to receive a positive reply.

Newswire reports that the planned action will also press for prompt hiring of doctors and other healthcare workers, consistent access to medicines, improved health infrastructure and substantive engagement by the government.

Written automatically by AI from the outlets’ own reports, and not reviewed by an editor. It can be wrong — the original report is the authority.