Steps have been taken to call the armed forces to the hospitals all over the island to avoid the inconvenience caused to the patients due to the 24-hour hospital strike from 6.30 am today. Apart from doctors, 72 trade unions have started this strike.
Thus, the three armed forces have been called to the hospitals, according to a request made by the Ministry of Health.
This strike has been started to demand that the DAT allowance given to doctors be given to them as well and to protest against the increase of the allowance which was Rs.35000 to Rs.70,000.
This morning, Health Minister Ramesh Pathirana said that the striking trade unions were invited to a discussion.
Health Ministry sources said that DAT is a separate allowance for the medical profession and is not applicable to other professions.
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