The Government Medical Officers' Association (GMOA) announced that it had decided to restrict several medical services starting today across all hospitals island-wide.

These restrictions include limiting the issuance of prescriptions by doctors for obtaining external medications and recommending external laboratory services.


The GMOA states this decision stems from the government failing to address any of their budget proposals in the current budget.

However, a discussion on this matter was scheduled to take place today at 9:30 am with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

Specialist doctors from the GMOA submitted proposals for the current budget concerning specialist doctors' housing facilities, the 36% tax imposed on doctors' income, and other salary-related issues.


Furthermore, Specialist Doctor Sunil Wijesinghe, a representative of the Association of Medical Specialists (AMS), mentioned at a press conference in Colombo yesterday (16) that if their demands are not resolved, specialist doctors too are prepared to commence trade union action on November 26 and 27.