• Until concrete plan and implementation time frames are announced 

The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) will continue its trade union action until a concrete plan and a timeframe on implementing the Government’s response to doctors’ demands are declared. 

GMOA Media Spokesperson Dr. Chamil Wijesinghe made this statement while speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (17), where he stressed the importance of the Government’s promises being implemented.

The GMOA informed that following the discussion held with the President yesterday, an emergency Executive Committee was convened. Speaking to the media after the discussion held yesterday at the Presidential Secretariat, GMOA Secretary Dr. Prabath Sugathadasa stated that a number of concerns were raised during the meeting. He said that the President’s attention had been drawn to the proposals presented by the GMOA and that the President had informed the association that those proposals would be discussed further and that he would look into the possibility of providing reasonable solutions. 

Dr. Sugathadasa stated: “The President promised that based on next year’s (2026) Budget proposals, steps would be taken to sustain the health system in the future. As the GMOA, we have especially requested measures to retain doctors and specialist doctors within the country. So, he (the President) promised to hold further discussions on those proposals and to study the feasibility of providing fair solutions.” 

A group of representatives of the GMOA, which began a trade union action yesterday morning based on several demands, met the President at the Presidential Secretariat. Several senior members of the GMOA were reported to have taken part in the discussion.

Earlier, the GMOA had decided to commence trade union action from 8 a.m. yesterday, based on several demands. The GMOA had taken the decision in protest against the failure to resolve issues in the health service and those faced by doctors through the 2026 Budget presented by the President. Accordingly, doctors at all hospitals are limited to providing selected services, including prescribing medicines to be purchased from external pharmacies and recommending tests to be done from external laboratories.