The Government Medical Officers Association has issued a statement regarding the serious politicization of the medical transfer process at the Dehiattakandiya Base Hospital. The statement is as follows.
Further intensifying the protest against the political interference in hospital administration and the transfer of doctors.
The administrative work of hospitals and health institutions across the country and the transfer of all categories of doctors have so far been carried out legally and independently of political influences, through the prescribed procedure.
As the Government Medical Officers Association, we always stand unconditionally for the protection of the independence of the transfer process of doctors, which is carried out by following a specific legal procedure.
However, a completely different situation has emerged at the Dehiattakandiya Base Hospital, and there is a trend of direct political interference in the hospital administration and medical transfer processes.
Although we have continuously suggested to the health authorities to take immediate steps to resolve this issue, we have observed that instead of providing a solution to this issue, they are unnecessarily delaying it and deliberately delaying it.
Instead of the transfer process of doctors, which should be done with the agreement of the transfer boards and the relevant parties, we, as the Government Medical Officers’ Association, express our strong opposition to the illegal and arbitrary transfers carried out through political interference in a manner that is unfair to doctors who are committed to maintaining continuous health services throughout the country despite all difficulties.
It has also been decided to hold an emergency executive committee meeting tomorrow, 2025.10.07 at 9 am at the head office of the Government Medical Officers’ Association to discuss the future course of action regarding this protest and the trade union action currently underway in hospitals and health institutions in the Ampara district.
At that meeting, decisive decisions are to be taken regarding the future course of action and the expansion of the trade union action currently underway in the Ampara district to cover the entire Eastern Province. In parallel with this, preparations are also being made to hold a series of massive protests in front of all the major hospitals in the Eastern Province tomorrow.
Through this, we strongly urge His Excellency the President, the Minister of Health, the Secretary to Health and all health authorities to take urgent steps to prevent the politicization of the transfer processes of doctors.
We would also like to remind you that if any service disruption or public inconvenience occurs as a result of these trade union actions, the Ministry of Health authorities, who are reluctant and unable to provide a positive solution to the problem at the Dehiattakandiya Hospital, must take full responsibility.