Doctor attacked with cardboard ‘rod’, left traumatized; fellow doctors protest

 

By Gayan Kumara Weerasingha

The police is yet to arrest a single suspect in connection with the attack on the Secretary of the Sri Lanka Medical Board (SLMB), Specialist Dr. N. J. Nonis. This comes in the wake of the mystery surrounding the incident. Dr. N. J. Nonis was attacked on October 4 at around 6.45 pm when he was on his way home after having ended his day’s work at the SLMB in Colombo. According to Police Media Spokesman SSP Maxi Proctor, Dr. Nonis had been attacked in front of his residence at Jacob Mendis Avenue, Idama, Moratuwa. Sneak attack
SSP Proctor said that when Dr. Nonis was about to get out of his vehicle two persons had arrived in a motorcycle. Whilst one had inquired from him about an address, the other person had attacked the doctor with a rod. Though Dr. Nonis had not suffered any physical injuries, the attack is said to have left him traumatized.
The police was able to locate the owner of the motorcycle on that very day, the doctor having clearly remembered the license plate number, in Kaludewala, Panadura. The suspect was later produced before the Moratuwa magistrate who ordered him remanded until October 10.
According to the police, the ‘rod’ used in the attack had been made out of cardboard, and they believe that the attackers may have not wanted to physically harm the doctor after all, but merely to threaten him.
The Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) staged a strike on October 5, protesting the attack but called it off when they were informed that a suspected had been apprehended. Dr. Upul Gunasekera of the GMOA told LAKBIMAnEWS that if more doctors are attacked in the coming weeks, they           would resort to strike action country wide, without giving prior notice.
Dr. Gunasekera added that the GMOA considers the attack directed at Dr. Nonis as a personal threat levelled at all doctors in the country, and that it would also be an impediment for doctors in their efforts to provide a comprehensive service to patients in the country. Following talks held with Minister of Health Maithripala Sirisena, the GMOA and the SLMB have been assured of top level security for all their members and their families, he stated.

Security measures

Dr. Gunasekera said that Minister Sirisena had specifically requested IGP N.K. Illangakoon to assign DIGs to provide security to GMOA and SLMB members. He added that while they were truly sorry about the hardships caused to the patients by  their strike, it was the only means of protest they  could resort  to. Dr. Wandika Epitakaduwa speaking to LAKBIMAnEWS said that the attack on Dr. N.J. Nonis was the result of a concerted effort by a certain group to silence doctors of the SLMB and the GMOA.