President grants GMOA demands

The Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) called off their island wide strike yesterday after discussions with the President ensured that the posting of interns will be carried out afresh. GMOA had previously called for a strike after interns posted to the IDP camps were informed that their previous posts may not be available once their duties were complete.
According to GMOA representative S. Marasinghe, the President had informed Health Ministry officials to cancel the existing internship lists.
He instructed the Health Ministry to come up with a new list of internship postings with consultations with the GMOA. The new list would then be approved by the President and implemented.
All doctors except those serving at the Maharagama Cancer Hospital, Lady Ridgeway Hospital, Castle Street Maternity Hospital and the IDP camps in the North were asked to strike with claims of inefficient placement of doctors and interns and appalling living conditions provided to voluntary doctors in the IDP camps. OPD and clinical patients were inconvenienced. However, the strike was immediately called off once discussions with the President gave relief to their demands.