Doctors to strike in hospitals island-wide from tomorrow - GMOA
April 3, 2026 03:55 pm
Government doctors in all hospitals across the island will engage in a strike action from 8:00 a.m. tomorrow (April 4), the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) announced.
Meanwhile, the GMOA Central Committee will meet tomorrow to decide whether the trade union action should continue further, the GMOA said.
The GMOA had launched a nationwide token strike on March 31 at 8 a.m. based on several demands, including the alleged illegal transfers of doctors.
The 24-hour token strike was concluded on April 01, 2026.
Meanwhile, the GMOA also staged a 24-hour token strike doctors in all government hospitals from 8.00 a.m. yesterday (02).
Accordingly, the GMOA Media Spokesperson Dr. Chamil Wijesinghe said that a decision on the union’s next course of action will be taken at an emergency executive committee meeting.
The GMOA had also warned that if the government fails to respond to their concerns, trade union action will be intensified in the future.
Speaking during the Cabinet press briefing held on Tuesday (March 31), regarding the nationwide token strike initiated by the GMOA, Minister of Health and Mass Media, Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, had stated that the government is in the process of preparing and implementing a formal transfer mechanism for medical officers.
The Minister said that about 6,000 doctors are scheduled to be transferred by May 10, noting that the process commenced in the first week of February.
The Minister also pointed out that the ongoing transfer process is providing justice for many doctors who have been treated unfairly by the respective associations.
