File returned, Padeniya cleared: GMOA suspends strike

October 3, 2011, 9:56 pm

By Don Asoka Wijewardena

Doctors’ strike scheduled for today was suspended as GMOA President Dr. Anuruddha Padeniya’s personal file, which was removed by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption was returned to Lady Ridgeway hospital yesterday.

Doctors’ files containing details of their leave, salaries, allowances and administrative matters should not be taken away by the Bribery Commission or any other organisation without permission of the Health Ministry, the GMOA said adding that otherwise, it would be compelled to stage a strike without prior notice.

A committee appointed by Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena to look into the matter announced that Dr. Padeniya had passed required examinations and was qualified to work as Consultant Pediatric Neurologist at LRH, GMOA Assistant Secretary Dr. Upul Gunasakera told media a conference held at GMOA Head Office yesterday.

Dr. Gunasekera said the GMOA Executive Committee which convened an emergency meeting yesterday had unanimously decided to suspend the scheduled strike, because the file had been returned to LRH yesterday. The file only contained leave particulars, payments of bills and receipts of government allowances for duty leave etc. Had there been any complaints of bribery, corruption or fraud against doctors, the Bribery Commission could have taken their files but the removal of Dr. Padeniya’s file smacked of political victimisation, the GMOAsaid.

Dr. Gunasekera claimed that it had apparently been removed as part of a campaign to vilify Dr. Padeniya.