GMOA demands inclusion in SAITM talks, threatens further strikes

• Proposes 5-step solution to crisis
• Proposals include appointing committee to provide a solution to current SAITM students
• Highly critical of Health Minister over remarks
• Demands full nationalisation but open to dialogue on other options

By Himal Kotelawala

The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) yesterday threatened to launch a continuous strike on short notice if the Government refuses to include it in ongoing SAITM negotiations.

At a press briefing held in Colombo, the GMOA announced that its Central Committee had taken a decision to launch a fresh continuous strike if the Government was serious about Health Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne’s recent declaration that the GMOA’s views would no longer be considered if and when the matter was taken up.

In such an event, the association said, the GMOA’s Executive Committee would decide on the particulars of the proposed strike and the media would be notified closer to the date.

The GMOA, together with State Medical Faculty heads and academic staff, has proposed a solution to the crisis, taking into account the following recommended steps: the Minister of Health gazetting the minimum standards for medical education as per the Appeal Court and giving legal recognition to the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC)’s technical report, the Higher Education Minister informing the courts that SAITM has not obtained the SLMC’s compliance certificate, SAITM halting enrollment of fresh undergraduates, SAITM discontinuing awarding degrees, and appointing a committee to provide a just solution to students currently studying at SAITM. The saga should end, if the GMOA has its way, with SAITM fully nationalised.

Speaking to journalists, GMOA Secretary Dr. Haritha Aluthge was highly critical of Minister Senaratne, accusing him of undermining President Maithripala Sirisena’s authority. By alleging that the latter had held secret talks with the GMOA, the Minister was implying that the Executive President of the country did not have the power to have an open dialogue, he charged. Minister Senaratne had on Wednesday said that the meeting held between the two parties had been “secret” in that no record of it was taken in terms of discussion minutes or photographs.

“The next few days, starting tomorrow, will be critical. If the Government is not willing to talk to the GMOA, we will have no choice but to go on strike. The Executive Committee will decide when. We want to emphasise that the strike will be carried out on short notice,” he said.

However, if the Government sets the record straight on Senaratne’s remark that the GMOA will not be invited for any future talks, the doctors will be willing to have an open discussion with the Government.

Dr. Aluthge was noticeably calmer when referring to recent comments made by Ministers Kabir Hashim and Duminda Dissanayake in their capacities as the General Secretaries of the two constituent parties of the National Unity Government earlier this week. 

The duo had reiterated three possible solutions proposed by the President to the SAITM crisis: to convert it to a non-profit organisation managed by a State-appointed trust, to sell 49% of the company in the stock market with the Government owning a controlling stake, and to go for a Private-Public Partnership (PPP). According to Dr. Aluthge, while the GMOA stands firmly for a nationalisation of the controversial institute, it is open to a dialogue on these proposals, but the Government has yet to notify them in writing. He was particularly keen on the proposal to turn SAITM into a non-profit entity. “The non-profit idea is great. But the Government has to clarify what exactly they mean by that and the mechanism behind such an initiative,” he said.

Continuing his impassioned criticism of the Health Minister, Dr. Aluthge said that Minister Hashim’s comments earlier this week were proof that the Government had yet to reach a final decision on the SAITM issue, despite Dr. Senaratne’s comments to the contrary.

Dr. Aluthge also accused Dr. Senaratne of trying to remove Prof. Carlo Fonseka as President of the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) and replace him with a personal loyalist. “Minister Senaratne says the Government has come up with a final solution, and that there will be no further discussions with the GMOA. Any discussion will be held with the SLMC, going forward, he has said. It’s clear now what he meant by discussions with the SLMC,” said Dr. Aluthge. 

“The second stage of our campaign will be to protect Prof. Fonseka and safeguard the independence of the SLMC,” he added.