Minister of Health Keheliya Rambukwella has instructed the Government Nursing Officers’ Association which is on strike to attend a discussion.
Today marks the second day of the indefinite strike launched by the Academy of Health Professionals.
The strike was launched based on several demands including salary anomalies.
Speaking to NewsRadio, President of the Association Saman Rathnapriya said future steps of the trade union action will be decided based on the solutions reached during the discussion with the Health Minister.
Rathnapriya said the strike was launched last morning with the participation of 65,000 professionals representing 18 trade unions.
He said they are providing essential and emergency services, with emergency surgeries and Intensive Care Unit procedures functioning as usual, as they are not willing to put patients’ lives at risk.
Rathnapriya said the trade union action will not be conducted at nine main hospitals including the Central Blood Bank Narahenpita, Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children, Castle Street Hospital for Women, Apeksha Hospital Maharagama, and the National Nephrology Hospital.
He said the discussion with the Health Minister will commence at 11.30 this morning adding they hope to come to a favourable conclusion at the discussion.
He claimed the salary of an untrained undergraduate in the teaching service is higher than that of a professional degree holder in the nursing service.
He said they agree with the teachers’ salary increments adding they extended their full support to the teachers’ struggle.
Rathnapriya stressed the government is responsible for eliminating the existing salary anomalies in the health sector as well.
