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Health
workers on hunger strike at Ayurvedic Hospital
By Kushali Atukorale
Several senior Health workers attached to
the Ayurvedic Hospital at Borella have decided to continue
their hunger strike against a number of unreasonable promotions
given by the Ministry of Indigenous Medicine.
The Chairman of All Ceylon Health Service Union (ACHSU), Gamini
Kumarasinghe told The Bottom Line that the senior health workers
had decided to continue the hunger strike, since the experienced
senior employees had been sidelined whereas the less experienced
junior health workers were given promotions by the Ministry.
“Most of these junior health workers are either less
experienced or unqualified compared to the senior health workers
who were working for years in the field,. All these promotions
are politically influenced and smack of nepotism,” Kumarasinghe
said.
He also pointed out, though the Union had several talks with
the Secretary of the Ministry previously, yet he was not able
to look into the issue although the Secretary promised to
take fair action regarding these illegal promotions.
“I am not saying that the junior health workers should
not be promoted. But how can the Ministry officials take action
to promote them when there are more senior, experienced health
workers who deserve to be promoted after years of hard word
and dedication to the hospital?,” Kumarasinghe asked.
He also said, not only the unqualified and less experienced
junior health workers are promoted, but the workers who are
accused for committing various wrong doings and not carrying
out their duties properly are also being promoted..
“This is not the first time, as previously the Ministry
officials has promoted several junior workers who were not
aware of the basics of work ethics. Now again they have promoted
another set of junior health workers who do not deserve a
single promotion. Therefore these four senior hospital workers
will be continuing their fast, until they get a reasonable
answer from the Ministry of Indigenous Medicine,” Kumarasinghe
firmly said.
Four employees of the Ayurveda Hospital, who were sidelined
when giving promotions, launched a hunger strike from Monday
(25th).
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