Government Hospital Nurses To Launch An Island Wide Continuous Strike

In the latest  development on the dispute between Government Nurses  and Doctors  over the midwifery training given to the  nurses, the Public Services Nurses Union(PSNU) has decided to launch an  island wide continuous strike of nurses after 29th of this month by demanding a solution from the ministry of health to the dispute.

Besides the forthcoming strike the government hospital nurses have already withdrawn from attending ward rounds with doctors inside the hospital while hospital matrons and special grade nurses have withdrawn from administration work as a protest.

The nurses have launched this protest campaign against doctors decision to suspend midwifery training given to new entrant nurses.

Although nurses are not assisting  hospital doctors in their work   nursing care towards patients will be continued  as usual PSNU said.

Two Faculties Of University Of Colombo Have Temporarily Closed Down

The faculties of Arts and Education of the University Of Colombo have been temporarily closed down until further notice with effect from today(23) according to the University Administration.the faculties were closed due to the problems risen when enrolling of new students for this year sources said.the date of recommencing   studies will be announced later sources have added.

GMOA Exco Committee Team Has Been Defteated In Colombo National Hospital Branch Union Elections

The team that selected by executive committee of the government medical officers association(GMOA)to contest the elections of selecting office bearers for the newly established branch union of Colombo National Hospital has been defeated by a team  opposing GMOA executive committee.

GMOA executive committee has dissolved the Colombo National Hospital branch union around two years back due to their opposition to the committee.the 1700 doctors attach to  National Hospital however
elected the opposition team again for the branch union during the elections disappointing the GMOA executive committee.

Western Provincial Government Hospital Doctors To Launch A Continuous Strike

Doctors attach to all government hospitals in Western Province have decided to launch a continuous strike from next Tuesday(25) onwards  by demanding a fresh disciplinary action against Western Provincial Director General Of Health Services Dr.Amal Harsha De Silva for using abusive language against a medical administrator and implement his formal transfer with immediate effect according to Government Medical Officers Association(GMOA).

Dr.Amal Harsha was charged for using abusive language against the medical administrator of Awisswella Base Hospital recently and all doctors attach to the hospital have staged a one day token strike on 03rd of March as a  protest to  the incident.

However the Health Ministry Secretary has still not conducted an inquiry on
the incident and  trying to protect the accused provincial health director from charges GMOA has stated.

The Presidential Commission On Missing Persons Commenced It's First Public Sitting In Eastern Province

The Presidential Commission investigates on missing persons of Northern and Eastern Provinces during the period 1990-2009 has  up to now received around 16,000 complaints from island wide it has been revealed .out of these complaints around 9300 are complaints on civil disappearances and 4300 are on disappearances of security personal.

The Commission has commenced it's first public sitting in the eastern province district  of Batticloe today(20).the first public hearing on missing persons scheduled to be held until 22nd of March in the towns of Chenkallady, Vakarai and Batticaloe according to the sources.

The public hearings will cover 56 village level areas(Grama Seva Niladari Divisions) in the district.

The three member commission comprising Mr.Maxwell Parakrama Paranagama(Chairman),Dimingu Badathurage Priyanthi Suranjana Vidyaratne and Mrs.Mano Ramanathan held it's first public sitting in Kilinochchi District of Northern Province on last January.the commission is to submit a report after concluding necessity inquiries and investigations on missing persons.

Heavy Traffic In Colombo Due To Protest March

A heavy traffic has been reported from several main roads in Colombo and suburbs this evening following the massive protest march of University Students which headed towards colpetty.in some roads traffic has lasted more than one hour  and commuters have faced severe difficulties due to this it has been reported.

The Police has fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse the protest march of university students when they tried to clear security gates .

Midwives To Launch A Continuous Strike As Health Ministry Has Approved Midwifery Training For Nurses

The Health Ministry has agreed to give midwifery training to all newly trained nurses annually although government midwives are strongly  opposing it according to Public Services Nurses Union(PSNU)health minister along with several higher officials of Health Ministry last Monday(17) have expressed their willingness to PSNU on allowing  nurses to get midwifery training after finishing their three year training the  union has said.

Under the proposed midwifery training 1350 newly trained nurses belongs to 2009 B Batch will received the training at nursing schools island wide .

Meanwhile The Government Midwives Union President Mrs.Devika Kodithuwakku has said that Midwives will launch an island wide continuous strike as soon as the health ministry has issued a circular on allowing new nurses to get midwifery training.