If security not guaranteed, will go overseas, doctors tell Govt.

The Government Medical Officers´ Association (GMOA) during a media briefing this morning (Nov. 24) forwarded four demands to the Health Ministry. The doctors’ association said it would withdraw all doctors from hospitals in the North and East if the demands are not met.
These demands include a Rs.10 million insurance policy, appointing of a director for each hospital to oversee security and welfare of doctors, a risk allowance and STF or Army protection for all hospitals in the North and East.
GMOA Assistant Secretary Dr. Upul Gunaratne said that if the government failed to give the assurances in writing they would pull out from the North and East hospitals, and added that until the security situation improves all its members would pull out of the peripheral hospitals. He also said if the problem is not solved within two weeks all GMOA members in the north and east would return to Colombo causing the closure of the hospitals there.The GMOA also claimed that the risk allowance paid to doctors in the north and east has not been paid for the last six months and that the slain doctor’s family has not been paid any compensation as yet. Dr. Gunaratne claimed that if the government does not provide security to its doctors they would give up their positions and go overseas as foreign countries have a great demand for doctors.

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