Safety fears hit eastern doctors
The Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) says that doctors in the north and the east will resume work only if the security situation improved.
The doctors went in to protest action by stopping working in the north and the east hospitals after the gunning down of a colleague, Dr. Palitha Padmakumara in Batticaloa on the night of 17 November. The spokesman for the GMOA, Dr. Upul Gunasekara told BBC Sandeshaya that they had handed over a letter describing their fears with demands aimed at redress to the health ministry. A meeting scheduled to discuss the issue with the Health Secretary, Dr, Athula Kahandaliyanage, did not take place on Monday. Armed groups in east Noting that the health authorities were unaware of the real security situation prevailing in the north and east, Dr. Gunasekara said doctors will resume work in Vavuniya, Mannar, Jaffna and Kalmunai if the security situation improved. A doctor attached to the Batticaloa hospital told BBC Sandeshaya that armed groups were constantly threatening the medical workers inside the hospital. "Although we were threatened at gun point to go with them to treat the patients, we never thought we will be killed," the doctor who wished to remain anonymous said. Armed groups are regularly present in Batticaloa town, he said, while security service personnel look on. "Ministers and directors do not even know whether Batticaloa is black or white". He did not wish to identify the groups but said the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Police Special Task Force (STF) and the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) all knew who the groups are. "Whenever a member of these groups is admitted to hospital, four armed members stand guard beside the person's bed. Even when the consultant comes for the rounds they do not go away," the doctor said. "We have not received any security assurances since Dr Padmakumara was killed," he told BBC's Elmo Fernando.