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| Thursday, 18 March 2004 |
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CNH Chief warns of chaos by Ranga Jayasuriya The doctors' strike entered its eight day yesterday paralysing the public health sector as the striking doctors warned to stop admissions to the Badulla and Peradeniya Teaching Hospitals if a meeting scheduled yesterday afternoon with the Health Minister did not materialise to forge a satisfactory solution. A meeting between Health Minister P.Dayaratne and the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) was in progress at the time this edition went to press. OPD treatment has already been suspended at the Badulla and Peradeniya Teaching Hospitals, sources said. Admission of patients to the Kurunegala Teaching Hospital came to a halt yesterday in addition to the similar situation at the Colombo South Hospital and Ragama Teaching Hospital. However, the GMOA said patients who need emergency treatment will be admitted to the hospital. The Colombo National Hospital (CNH) has admitted 600 patients during the last three days as the Colombo South (Kalubowila) and Ragama Teaching Hospitals closed gates for patients. Colombo National Hospital, Director Hector Weerasinghe said if the crisis continued, despatching hundreds of patients to the CNH will result in a chaotic situation. "The hospital is about to run over capacity," he said. Colombo South Hospital, Ragama Teaching Hospital and Kurunegala Teaching Hospital stopped admitting patients and OPD treatment and clinics have been hampered in hospitals islandwide.Earlier, the GMOA urged Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to intervene to resolve the issue. The administration of hospitals islandwide has also been affected as the doctors withdrew from the administrative functions as part of the trade union action.Meanwhile, complicating an already full blown crisis, the Health Services Trade Union Alliance on Tuesday warned that it would take trade union action, if any salary increase for the GMOA causes a salary disparity in the health sector. The health strike has had no impact on the Lady Ridgeway Hospital, Cancer Hospital Maharagama, Castle Street Hospital and De Soyza Women's Hospital, which function as usual.Government doctors decided to continue their strike after a discussion with Finance Minister K.N. Choksy ended in a futile note on Monday. The GMOA's General Assembly on Friday decided to continue their strike despite Minister Choksy's written assurance to resolve their salary anomaly within eight weeks of the opening of the Parliament on April 22. The GMOA demands the implementation of the salary scale set out in Circular No.37/92 saying the circular pertaining to the rectification of salary anomalies of the health services has caused salary anomalies for Class II Medical Officers. The doctors have also warned to resign, if their salary anomalies are not resolved which could cause a serious breakdown of the health services. Minister Choksy had called upon the GMOA to discontinue the strike adding that their demands would be addressed by the Finance Ministry in consultation with the Health Ministry after the General Election. Sounding optimistic about a solution to the crippling health strike, the Government Medical Officers Association after a meeting with the Treasury Secretary, last night decided not to expand its trade union action. The GMOA spokesman said a meeting with Treasury Secretary Charitha Ratwatte held yesterday afternoon was positive. "It was a constructive meeting and the outcome was positive. We are optimistic that a solution can be reached when we meet tomorrow," the spokesman, Channa Perera told the Daily News last night. The GMOA will meet the Treasury Secretary in the afternoon today for talks regarding a circular rectifying their salary anomalies. |
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