Doctors are not prepared to submit to anyone’s orders or serve as “slaves”, said Dr. Hansamal Weerasuriya, Assistant Secretary of the Government Medical Officers’ Association. He was responding to a statement made by Minister Nalinda Jayatissa at the media briefing to announce cabinet decisions on medical transfers.
The formal annual transfer process, which had been dormant for about 13 years, is now being implemented systematically. The Minister said that about 6,000 doctors are scheduled to be transferred by May 10, and that previously some doctors had used their union power to stay irregularly in places like the Eye Hospital for 13 to 17 years.
Expressing further views, Dr. Hansamal Weerasuriya said:
”As government doctors, we have no reason to fear anyone. But if the Minister wants a conflict with the trade unions, we are ready to give appropriate answers. Certain decisions that the government is trying to implement are hindering the professional freedom of doctors. The Minister of Health and other authorities are trying to force doctors to obtain service without their consent and outside the established procedures.
The main reason for this crisis is the irregularities and political interference in the recent medical transfer process. There are more than 23,000 doctors in our union. None of them is ready to serve in this way.”
He emphasized this while participating in a media briefing held yesterday.