24 Health Sector Trade Unions wants President Rajapaksha To Consider Service Extension Of DGHS

The Health services Trade Union confederation has made a written appeal to president Mahinda Rajapaksha yesterday (03) by stating when giving  the proposed service extension to current Director General Of Health Services(DGHS) Dr.Ajith Mendis only consider the service performance of him not the false allegations leveled  against him by certain elements.

The DGHS is due to retire from his service next Monday (06) but due to a request of service extension to him made by majority of health sector trade unions the trade union confederation wants president to consider the service extension request.However few health sector trade unions have trying to block his service extension by leveling a fraud charges on him by stating DGHS has  responsible  for fraud activity taken place when  purchasing of  Rs.182 million worth surgical equipments to government hospitals in year 2009 .The accusers charged that  the sufficient stocks of that equipment were available  in stores then and stated it was an unnecessary deal to buy an extra stock at that time.

However the charges leveled against DGHS was cleared after an inquiry conducted by special investigations unit of Ministry Of Health last week.The report  of the inquiry was sent to secretary of president by the Health Ministry Secretary Dr.Nihal Jayathilake.However those elements who accused DGHS of wrong doing still refused to accept that inquiry report by stating that it was a biased  report.

The powerful 24 health  trade union alliance has stated through the letter sent to president yesterday that certain elements including a trade union leader backed by some NGO's are trying to block the proposed service extension of  Dr.Mendis by leveling false allegations against him which he was cleared through an investigations a week ago."Therefor President Rajapaksha should consider the yeoman service rendered by DGHS to the health sector during Tsunami and war periods when giving approval to his service extension" it said.

The letter signed by the president of Health Services Trade Union Confederation Venerable Muruththettuwe Ananda Thero and co secretary Harendra Kuruppu has said   that DGHS Dr.Mendis has earlier decided to retire from service with effect from next Monday (06) when his service period expired  but has decided to  request a  service extension only after Health Minister had urged him to do so in several instances.But since he made a written request for service extension under the influence of Minister certain elements withing health sector have trying to tarnish his image as well as his post through a media campaign which is turned out to be a pure mud slinging campaign .