Army officer allegedly made death threat to doctors; doctors withdrawn from work; hospital in Mullaithivu paralyzed

Sri Lanka Minister of Health Pavithra Wanniarachchi and Army Commander Major General Shavendra Silva have not still responded to the Government Medical Officers' Association (GMOA) trade union action in Sampathnuwara hospital in Welioya in Mullaithivu district. A spokesman of the GMOA told that the trade union action continued. 

The two medical officers, the doctor in charge of the rental unit and the dental surgeon do not report to work in this rural hospital for about a week now. The people in this remote area are suffering immensely as a result of the trade union action of the GMOA. 

On October 28, Sri Lanka Government Medical Officers' Association (GMOA) complained to the Minister of Health Pavithra Wanniarachchi and Army Commander Shavendra Silva regarding the death threat against the head of Sampathnuwara District Hospital by a senior Army officer. 

According to the letter dated 28 October 2020, sent to the Minister of Health, Brigadier K.K.S. Parakum of Mechanized Infantry Regiment had visited Sampathnuwara District Hospital to discuss converting the hospital into a COVID-19 treatment centre and abused the Head of the Institution and other medical officers using racist and derogatory words. The words include anti-Tamil racist language that called the doctors terrorists. As a trade union action, GMOA has withdrawn the doctors from the service in Sampathnuwara District Hospital.

Sri Lanka in a PCR crisis; Lateral Flow Antigen Test proposed

Sri Lanka's Government Medical Officers' Association (GMOA) Editor Haritha Aluthge said that there are around 20,000 PCR samples in the laboratories.

As a result of the situation, the reports are delayed up to one week and during that period, some of the infected persons associate many others.

Meanwhile, a PCR machine in Colombo East Base Hospital in Mulleriyawa hospital broke down and a Chinese technician was brought to Sri Lanka to repair it. The technician had PCR tests before leaving China, after arriving in Sri Lanka and works under strict quarantine regulations wearing protective equipment. 

The laboratory of Colombo East hospital was declared open in June 2020 with the assistance of the Asian Development Bank. The new lab had a capacity of performing 500 tests for 12 hours.

Dr. Mahen Kotalawala, Clinical Microbiologist and Infection Prevention Professional who works in Kandy hospital says that Sri Lanka must start Lateral Flow Antigen Test in which the protein antibodies in the infected person’s blood is tested. It is a low-cost field test that brings results faster, the specialist highlighted. 

"We need about 5,000-6,000 PCR tests carried out daily. It is very costly, and the tests delay. The person associates others during the period between the PCR is tested, and the report is received. If the person is positive, he or she might have spread the virus to many others. Earlier, we received reports within 24 hours. Public Health Inspectors and Army took necessary actions fast. When the number of cases is high, there are practical issues," Dr. Mahen Kotalawala said in an interview with Mawbima newspaper. 

(Photo credit to Time) 

Sri Lankan Brigadier threatens to kill a doctor; GMOA withdraws doctors from service

 

Sri Lanka Government Medical Officers' Association (GMOA) complained to the Minister of Health Pavithra Wanniarachchi and Army Commander Shavendra Silva regarding the death threat against the head of Sampathnuwara District Hospital by a senior Army officer.

According to the letter dated 28 October 2020, sent to the Minister of Health, Brigadier K.K.S. Parakum of Mechanized Infantry Regiment had visited Sampathnuwara District Hospital in Welioya and abused the Head of the Institution and other medical officers using racist and derogatory words. The words include anti-Tamil racist language that called the doctors terrorists. 

As a trade union action, GMOA has withdrawn the doctors from the service in Sampathnuwara District Hospital. 

Full text of the letter: 

Government Medical Officers Association
28.10.2020

Hom. Pavithra Wanniarchchi,
Minister of Health,
Ministry of Health,
Colombo.

Dear Madam

Unacceptable behaviour of Brigadier K. K. S. Parakum

It is sad to inform you that Brigadier K. K. S. Parakum had visited district hospital Sampathnuwara and abused head of the institution and other medical officers පර දෙමළා, ප්‍රභාකරන්, ත්‍රස්තවාදීන්, තොපි මරණවා. මේක මගේ ඒ්රියා එක [ Bloody Tamil, Prabhakaran, Terrorists, I will kill you all, This is my area – SLB]

We remind that the era during the war all our doctors treated the military with dignity to ensure the moral and medical backup to armed forces and police to combat terrorism in our motherland.

However the behaviour of brigadier K. K. S. Parakum has failed to the expected standards of disciplinary of our armed forces and fail to ensure the dignity of doctors and fellow citizens.

Here we attached our communication to Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva on 26. 10. 2020 for necessary action.

Since the situation at DH Sampathnuwara is not rectified we are compelled to withdraw the services at DH Sampathnuwara as trade union measures considering the safety of our members.

We request your good offices’ to take necessary measures to ensure safe working conditions of this institution for the best interest of the patients.

Thank you,
Yours faithfully
Dr Senal Fernando
Secretary

Sri Lanka public service nurses' strike likely to drag on

The strike of the nurses of Sri Lanka's hospitals is likely to drag on to the next week also, the developments in the health sector indicate.

The Government Nursing Officers' Association Chairman Saman Rathnapriya said today that the nurses would continue the strike until the authorities grant a solution to their demand. They demand the government to provide midwifery training to all student nurses as part of their preliminary training. Midwifery training was given to nurses earlier as a post basic training.

Saman Rathnapriya said that the Government Medical Officers' Association (GMOA) must be responsible for the inconvenience caused to the public due to this strike. GMOA has rejected providing midwifery education to the student nurses and the nursing trade unions protest the move of the GMOA.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Public Service United Nurses' Union (PSUNU) Muruttettuwe Ananda Thero said that his union would strike only two days.

However, sources say that many of the hospital branches of the PSUNU are likely to decide to continue the strike.

Hospital services have been severely disrupted in Sri Lanka due to the strike of the nurses.