By Chaturanga Samarawickrama  

The present government has failed to uphold the fundamental rights of the people, including the right to live, the right to health, and the right to freedom of expression, the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) said. 

Dr. Shenal Fernando, Secretary of the GMOA, stated that it is impossible to provide health services as an essential service if the country is running out of essential drugs, equipment and material for surgery.  

However, the government has taken action to issue an extraordinary gazette notification to suppress the health trade unions while announcing the health services as an essential service, even though there is no sufficient drugs and equipment.  

While issuing a gazette notification declaring the health service as essential, the government should be able to ensure that there are sufficient stocks of essential drugs and equipment and should be able to create an environment that enables health officials, including doctors, to visit hospitals.  

Regrettably, health officials had to wait in diesel and kerosene queues before reporting to work at hospitals.