The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) has announced plans for an island-wide strike starting March 5 if the government fails to address concerns over reductions in additional duty and holiday allowances for government medical officers.
According to the GMOA, the 2025 budget has reduced the additional duty allowance for doctors to 1/80 of the basic salary and the holiday allowance to 1/20 of the basic salary. Recent decisions have further altered these figures, reducing the additional duty allowance to 1/120 and the holiday allowance to 1/30 of the basic salary.
Dr. Prabath Sugathadasa, Secretary of the GMOA, stressed the need for immediate rectification, stating:
“The additional duty allowance for doctors must be restored to 1/80, and the holiday allowance must be reinstated to 1/20 of the basic salary.”
He further warned that if the government fails to make the necessary corrections by March 6, the GMOA will escalate its actions starting March 7.
“If this correction is not made by March 6, we will take strict measures from March 7. After that, the government will have to reconsider how it plans to maintain health services,” Dr. Sugathadasa emphasized.
