Patients Affected as GMOA Trade Union Action Enters 14th Day

The trade union action launched by the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) entered its 14th day today, with the union alleging that the Health Ministry has yet to present concrete solutions to the issues it has raised.

The GMOA has periodically intensified its action, resulting in increasing disruptions to hospital services and growing inconvenience to patients who rely on the state health sector for treatment, medication, and medical consultations.

Beginning Wednesday (18), regional health officials affiliated with the GMOA have refrained from submitting key data to the Health Ministry’s central database, a system regarded as essential for the effective coordination and management of the national healthcare service.

GMOA Secretary Dr. Prabath Sugathadasa stated that the withholding of critical health data forms part of a broader strategy aimed at escalating pressure on authorities, citing what the union describes as continued inaction by the Ministry.

Although the action has not escalated into a full-scale strike, its impact is increasingly visible, particularly in outpatient departments where thousands of patients are experiencing delays and difficulties in accessing routine medical care.

In a further escalation, specialist doctors have decided not to provide cover for other hospitals, a move expected to add further strain to already overstretched healthcare institutions.

The GMOA maintains that its measures are intended to prompt urgent engagement from the Health Ministry. However, health sector observers caution that prolonged disruptions could further burden the public healthcare system, leaving patients to bear the consequences of the ongoing dispute.