Jaffna docs on strike today

July 5, 2012, 12:00 pm 

By Don Asoka Wijewardena, the island

Around 350 doctors attached to the Jaffna Teaching Hospital will stage a token strike from 8.00 am. to 8.00 pm today in protest against the failure on the part of the police to arrest those responsible for the June 14 attack on Dr. Nadaraja Jayakumaran’s residence and alleged maladministration of the hospital.

According to the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA), emergency services will not be disrupted.

The GMOA media spokesman, Dr. Navin de Soysa, told The Island that with the concurrence of the mother union, the GMOA branch union at the Jaffna hospital would launch the strike.

Jaffna hospital Consultant Oncologist Dr. Nadaraja Jayakumaran’s residence was attacked on June 14. He was also threatened. The police had not acted on his complaint, the GMOA spokesman said.

When contacted for comment Jaffna Teaching Hospital Director Dr. Ms. Bavani Pashupathyraja said that many OPD and Clinic patients would be affected due to the strike. Around 700 to 800 OPD and 2,000 patients visited clinics daily. "I have already informed the Director General of Health Services Dr. Ajith Mendis of the strike. It is my duty. But what the GMOA is doing is not acceptable in principle. Just because of police inefficiency and hospital maladministration, GMOA should not resort to trade union action. Matters of immediate concern can be sensibly settled."

She added that the Deputy Director General of Health Services Dr. Ananada Gunasekera had visited the hospital on July 2 and held a series of discussions with the GMOA members.