All Government Hospital Nurses in Sri Lanka except nurses attach to five government hospitals have withdrawn from hospital services today (Saturday 03rd of May) paralyzing patient care services in wards and clinics of government hospitals island wide. the striking nurses will continue their trade union action tomorrow(Sunday(04))as well in protest against Health Ministry’s failure of solving the dispute between government medical officers association(GMOA),the midwives and nurses over the midwifery training.
Due to the trade union action hundreds of thousands of patients getting treatment from government hospitals both indoor and outdoor faced numerous difficulties today according to hospital authorities.
According to the President of Public Services Nurses Union(PSNU) Venerable Muruththettuwe Ananda Thero Nursing Staff attach to government hospitals numbering 30,000 withdrawn from their services this morning and the .nursing staff attach to Castle Street Maternity,De Soyza Maternity,Lady Ridgway Childrens ,Mahamodara Maternity and Maharagama,Cancer Hospitals refrain from joining the trade union action due to humanitarian reasons . only the emergency services will maintain in government hospital where the trade union action has been carried out venerable Muruththettuwe Thero has stressed.
The PSNU has decided to go for this trade union action after the discussions held between Nursing Unions and health ministry officials headed by Health Minister last evening have failed to reach any solution for the dispute over midwifery training issue.
The Public Services Nurses Union headed by Venerable Muruththettuwe Ananda Thero is the largest trade union of Nurses in Sri Lanka which representing more than 95% of the government hospital nurses.
Meanwhile the executive committee of the Nurses Union is scheduled to meet tomorrow(04) to decide their future course of action if the health authorities are continuously ignoring the solving of midwifery training issue the Public Services Nurses Union(PSNU) has said.the officials of the GMOA and government midwives are harassing the nursing staff of government hospitals and therefor health authorities should intervene and solve the issue the Nurses Union has stressed.
