Fifteen unions, including the Nursing and Paramedical Services, have decided to go on a 48-hour token strike from 7.00 am today. Saman Ratnapriya, co-convener of the Federation of Health Professionals, said that about 55,000 health professionals will join the strike today and tomorrow over six unresolved demands, including salary issues. Due to the lack of pharmacists in hospitals, outpatient and clinical patients had to buy medicines from the state pharmaceutical corporation outlets. Pix by Kithsiri de Mel