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Paramedics strike cripples hospital services

by Rashomi Silva and Asanga Warnakulasuriya

Hospital services islandwide were partially paralysed yesterday with the strike launched by paramedics entering its 13th day, while attempts were being made by senior hospital staff to prevent the total collapse of the service.

"We are ensuring the patients are not sent home totally disappointed", Dr. Hector Weerasinghe, the Director of National Hospital Colombo told the Daily News yesterday.

He said, they had taken every possible step to run the hospital as smoothly as possible. As far as the issuing of the drugs are concerned the Colombo National Hospital had its dispensers at counters issuing medicines for out-patient (OPD) patients.

For patients who attend clinics monthly or weekly their medicines can be collected free from any Osu Sala outlet countrywide, Dr. Weerasinghe said. Routine laboratory tests, X-rays and other investigations are done from the private hospitals and laboratories at state expense, the Director said. Dr. Weerasinghe was gratified that the Colombo National Hospital did not have to put off or cancel any of the planned surgeries due to the strike despite the difficulties. "We have so far been able to continue with the ICU and theatre chores".

Dr. Weerasinghe emphasised what all the strikers whether they may be doctors, nurses, paramedics or even minor staffers should understand is that it is the poor patients who are at the receiving end of any strike action.

"I would like to see my staff back at work very soon as they are holding the lives of the patients at stake".

A senior matron said that the services carried out by the para-medical staff which includes, lab tests, X Ray tests, distribution of medicine from MSD are carried out by the section matrons. The senior matron said that sending blood samples to private hospitals is also done by the matrons.

The patients at the National Hospital told the Daily News that the strike of the Para-medical staff does have its effect but matrons and sisters have extended their fullest co-operation to minimise the effect.

D. Bamunuarachchi, a patient at the OPD said that the number of patients at the OPD counter has not increased significantly."The difference I see is that there is only one OPD counter opened instead of two and the queue is a bit longer today", he said.

The Joint Council of Professions Supplementary to Medicine(JCPSM) started the strike on November 28 claiming that the Junaid Committee report will effect their members. The JCPSM comprises Medical Laboratory technicians, radiographers, pharmacists and X-ray technicians.

Meanwhile, Post Primary Nursing School Colombo yesterday had organised a protest campaign in front of National Hospital against the JCPSM strike.The protesters claim that the strike of JCPSM has not disturbed the normal hospital procedure and if it has, the situation would have been much worse.

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