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by Bharatha Malawaraarachchi

In an apparent bid to see an end to the health strike, a discussion between the Cabinet Sub Committee and the Health Sector Trade Union Alliance will take place today, a senior Health Ministry official told the Daily News yesterday.

The official said the meeting will take place in the evening. The Cabinet Sub Committee headed by Power and Energy Minister Karu Jayasuriya includes Ministers P. Dayaratne, Vajira Abeywardena, Gamini Lokuge, Rajitha Senaratne and John Amaratunga.

Meanwhile, health authorities yesterday claimed that health services at major hospitals countrywide are at "near normal" level.

Most hospitals have resumed routine operations and a number of clinics despite the strike, a senior Ministry spokesman told the Daily News yesterday. The spokesman said services at Government hospitals are maintained with the assistance of the police and armed forces.

He also said the number of employees reporting to work had recorded an increase yesterday too enabling health authorities to provide better healthcare to the patients. "The attendance is better," the Director of the Colombo National Hospital Dr. Hector Weerasinghe said while adding that the number of employees reporting to work is increasing daily.

Dr. Weerasinghe said only around 60 employees reported to work on September 17, the day the strike was launched. "Today, the number has increased up to 170, marking a clear increase," added Dr. Weerasinghe.

Reports from provincial hospitals said the number of patients seeking treatment at Government hospitals had increased.

"Admissions have increased as the OPD and other clinics are functioning at near normal level," the spokesman added.

Even at the Colombo National Hospital, the number of clinics have gone up. Dr. Weerasinghe said the number of clinics is gradually increasing.

Meanwhile, the Health Ministry said that measures have been taken to pay this month's salary of health sector employees without any delay.

"All arrangements have been made to pay the salary of health employees despite the strike," the Ministry spokesman added.

Meanwhile, the Trade Union Alliance said the strike is being held at all hospitals except for the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for children.

"But we are maintaining the emergency services at all these hospitals," the alliance spokesman added. He said alliance members attached to the Sri Jayawardhanapura Hospital have launched a sick note campaign extending the support to the on going trade union action. However, the Health Ministry said they have taken all the possible measures to meet the demands of the trade union alliance.

"The Treasury has requested six weeks to study the proposals as a huge sum of money amounting to Rs. 2300 million is required annually to resolve the salary anomaly", the Ministry spokesman added.

In a news release issued yesterday, the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) urged authorities to solve this problem democratically and speedily since there is a rising crisis in the health sector.

"We feel a deadlock has been created. This is a highly unsatisfactory situation," it said.

"We request the relevant health authorities to enter into a dialogue with all parties concerned without further delay," it added.

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