Doctors continue to withdraw from VIP ambulance service

• VIPs include President, Prime Minister, Speaker, Opposition Leader, foreign diplomats

By Sheain Fernandopulle

Despite the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) announcing the suspension of the provincial-level trade union action with effect from yesterday (03), it said that it continues to withdraw from mobile ambulance services for VIP health security operations until further notice.

GMOA said the decision to suspend provincial-level trade union action was taken in light of the inconvenience faced by the patients and the positive response with regard to a meeting with the President on November 09.
However, the GMOA stressed that it continues to withdraw from mobile ambulance services for VIP health security operations until further notice and also withdraw from other non-related duty activities, including planned mobile clinics outside of hospital duties, until further notice.

The VIPs include the President, Prime Minister, Speaker, Opposition Leader, foreign diplomats etc.
The GMOA announced these trade union actions in protest of the government’s failure to take feasible measures to retain medical officers who are expecting to go abroad.