The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) will go ahead with its strike today (07).
GMOA Secretary Dr Naveen D. Zoysa, addressing the media at the OPA Auditorium yesterday, said the GMOA would extend the strike to the private sector hospitals as well, to pressure the government to take over the South Asian Institute for Technology and Medicine (SAITM).
Hundred organisations including the National Trade Union Centre (NTC), All Ceylon Government Medical Officers’ Association (ACGMOA), Public Service United Nurses Union (PSUNU), All Ceylon Nurses Union (ACNU), SLFP trade unions, Government Dentists, Government Ayurveda doctors, veterinarians, student unions, academic staff of universities, teachers’ unions, Bhikku organisations and many others had thrown their weight behind the GMOA’s action to protect free education.
Dr. Zoysa, however, said that areas affected by dengue and Influenza H1N1, women’s and children’s hospitals, renal care and cancer hospitals and units would be exempted from the strike.
Leader of the JVP trade union wing, K.D. Lalkantha accused the government of attempting to isolate the GMOA in a bid to sabotage its battle against SAITM and the Indo-Sri Lanka Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement. (ETCA). However, all trade unions and even political parties had joined the GMOA to fight against the SAITM issue. He said, however, that the coalition of unions and political parties would not stop with today’s (07) strike and it would continue agitations till the government solve the problem.
