Tamil language training programme for pre-intern medical officers was halted this year as a result of a tug-of-war between the Health Ministry and Ministry of National Languages and Social Integration, the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) said yesterday.

According to the GMOA, the Health Ministry officials had not settled the payments to the National Institute of Language Education and Training (NILET) for the Tamil language fluency training programmes held in 2014 and 2015.

The NILET which functions under the Ministry of National Languages and Social Integration organises the Tamil training programme for doctors every year.

However, the officials of the Health Ministry had told the GMOA, that they could not settle the payments because the NILET had not submitted required documents relating to the language training programmes held in 2014 and 2015. (Piyumi Fonseka)