Doctors to launch islandwide action by Jan 23

The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) has warned that it will launch a continuous islandwide trade union action from January 23 if agreements reached with the Minister of Health are not implemented.

In a media release issued on January 19, the GMOA stated that doctors are experiencing growing unrest after the 2026 Budget failed to address several key issues affecting the medical profession and the free public health service.

The association noted that earlier trade union action had been temporarily suspended based on written assurances provided following discussions with the President and the Minister of Health. Among these assurances was the approval of a Cabinet paper to establish a special service category titled the “Sri Lanka Medical Service,” with the participation and consensus of all relevant stakeholders.

Other agreed measures included updating the DAT allowance, resolving transport related issues in accordance with Circular 22/99, converting the additional duty allowance into a permanent allowance, and addressing issues related to the research allowance through discussions with the Ministry of Finance, which were scheduled to commence on January 5.

However, the GMOA said the failure to initiate discussions and implement these agreements has compelled the association to consider strong trade union action. Accordingly, the GMOA Executive Committee has unanimously decided to commence a continuous islandwide trade union action from January 23 if the Health Ministry fails to resolve the issues within the stipulated timeframe.

The association warned that further delays in addressing the genuine concerns of doctors and the public health sector could lead to increasing dissatisfaction among both the medical community and the general public, potentially resulting in an unnecessary crisis within the health system.

The GMOA emphasized that it would not hesitate to take the strongest possible trade union action if justice is not delivered to doctors and the free public health service.