Health sector demands before Cabinet –Health Secy 

Sudhrama-August 31, 2014

By Don Asoka Wijewardena

Health Secretary Sudhrama Karunaratne yesterday said that the demands put forward by the Joint Council of Professions Supplementary to Medicine (JCPSM) had been submitted to the Cabinet Secretary Sumith Abeysinghe for Cabinet approval.

The JCPSM demands could not be granted overnight as they needed recommendations of the Finance Ministry, Salaries and Cadre Commission and Management Services Department, she said. The court has issued an injunction order to halt the strike launched by the JCPSM from yesterday (31).

The JCPSM had been holding many discussions with Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena and her on Class One and Super Grade promotions of the Professions Supplementary to Medicine personnel. Then the Health Ministry with the concurrence of Finance Ministry Deputy Secretary, Public Administration Ministry Secretary and Health Secretary had appointed a sub-committee, which had submitted the report with necessary recommendations, the Health Secretary said.

Karunaratne said that the trade unionists of the JCPSM had been informed that the demands put forward by them had been submitted to the Cabinet for approval.

She stressed that the main demand of the JCPSM was permission for the Medical Laboratory Technologists, Radiographers, Pharmacists, Physiotherapists to do engage in private practice after duty hours like doctors and nurses, but that matter, too, needed Cabinet approval.

A patient had filed a case against the strike launched by the JCPSM and the court issued an injunction order on August 29 suspending the strike for two weeks.

JCPSM President Darmakeerthi Epa, contacted for comment, said that the JCPSM had informed its affiliated employees to report for duty on August 31 morning by honouring the court order issued on August 29. During the strike the JCPSM had held three discussions with Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena, who said their demands had been submitted to the Cabinet for approval. The JCPSM regretted the inconvenience caused by the strike to the patients, he said