The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) has announced that several medical services, including the issuance of prescriptions for external pharmacies and referrals for private laboratory tests, will be restricted from today across hospitals islandwide.
The decision comes in protest of the government’s lack of attention to their budget proposals in the 2026 budget.
A discussion with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake regarding these concerns is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. today.
Specialist doctors affiliated with the GMOA had submitted proposals to the budget, including housing facilities for specialists, and concerns over the 36% tax imposed on their income and related salary matters.
Speaking at a press briefing in Colombo yesterday, Dr. Sunil Wijesinghe, a representative of the Association of Specialist Doctors, stated that if their demands remain unresolved, they are prepared to launch professional trade union action on November 26 and 27. (Newswire)