Responding to the Secretary to the Ministry of Health issuing a special circular barring health professionals from making statements to the media, the Association of Health Professionals (AHP) said that they will launch a joint strike in the future without any prior notice unless the Ministry takes steps to withdraw the circular by issuing another circular with the proposed amendments.
Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (24), AHP President Ravi Kumudesh said that they have already addressed the Secretary to the Ministry Janaka Sri Chandraguptha, requesting the amendment of the circular issued by him in which they stated that the circular should be amended in a way that does not curtail the privileges enjoyed by public officers under Section XXXI of the Establishment Code - Exercise of the Rights of Association and Expression of Opinion.
Kumudesh also said that all the other trade unions affiliated with the health sector unanimously agreed with the decision taken to launch trade union actions against the circular issued by the Ministry, taking this issue as an attempt to curtail the fundamental rights which are enshrined in the Constitution. Kumudesh further noted that Chandraguptha has failed to reply to the letter sent by the health professionals, adding however that all the actions which are to be taken in this regard will depend on the move taken by him (Chandraguptha).
The said controversial circular signed by Chandraguptha states that disciplinary action will be taken against any official that provides information to the media, without the consent of the Department head. It was issued for all officers including Provincial Health Secretaries, the Heads of institutions of the Ministry, Provincial Directors of Health Services and Regional Health Services Directors.
Attention has been drawn to the judgement issued under Supreme Court case number SC/FR/371/2022 (Dr. Galmangoda Guruge Chamal Sanjeewa vs. Keheliya Rambukwella, Minister of Health and Others) that State officials do not have the legal right to release information to the State media without the prior permission of the Department head.