NHSL docs to report at new stations

by Carol Aloysius

Medical officers on transfer orders at the National Hospital, (NHSL) who were released of their duties at the NHSL yesterday, are expected to take up duties in their new stations from tomorrow. Speaking to the Sunday Observer, Government Medical Officers Association spokesman Dr Nalin Herath said that around ten doctors had been refusing to leave their present posts at the National Hospital in Colombo although their transfers were long overdue.

"Under our Departmental regulations government medical officers can serve in one station for only four years and have then to go on transfer to a new station. By refusing to accept their transfer orders, they are acting contrary to our regulations, because they want to remain in Colombo for personal reasons," he said.

He further said that following their release from the NHSL yesterday, the doctors had launched trade union action at the hospital without the concurrence of the parent union.

"One of the doctors, an office bearer of the GMOA branch of the NHSL had also sent a message to the NHSL Director Dr. Anil Jasinghe threatening to withdraw emergency.

This action would have endangered the lives of patients, needing emergency care. So we decided to dissolve the GMOA branch union of the NHSL immediately," Dr. Herath said.

Representatives of over 100 branch unions of the GMOA parent body are to meet tomorrow to endorse this decision. 99 percent of the members are expected to vote for the decision taken by the executive committee.

"After that, we will appoint a convener of the GMOA mother union to the NHSL to co-ordinate GMOA activities till we appoint a new branch union for the NHSL", Dr. Herath said.