Medical services across Sri Lanka faced disruption today (31) as doctors began a nationwide token strike at 8.00 a.m., protesting what they describe as illegal and arbitrary transfer decisions by the Health Ministry.
The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) said the ministry had issued transfer lists for 2026, including post‑intern appointments and difficult service locations, without approval from the transfer board and outside accepted procedures.
The union alleged that the number of difficult service stations had been reduced from 393 to 265 without a scientific basis or stakeholder agreement, warning that the move could worsen shortages in rural hospitals.
It further claimed that the eligibility period to apply for transfers from difficult stations had been extended from one year to two years without proper consultation, creating unfair conditions for doctors currently serving in those areas.
According to the GMOA, the failure to update approved doctor cadre positions for nearly a decade has already led to severe shortages across hospitals, placing both patients and medical staff under pressure.
The association also accused the ministry of assigning a large number of doctors to the “Arogya” project without approval from the Management Services Commission, despite shortages in many hospitals.
The GMOA warned that these decisions could lead to further disruption of healthcare services and greater inconvenience to patients, underscoring the urgent need for corrective action. (Newswire)
