PSM Strike called off

The countrywide work stopage launched by the Professions Supplementary to Medicine (PSM) last week was called off yesterday on the intervention of Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena.

PSM General Secretary Saman Jayasekera told the discussions held with the Minister were satisfactory and as such had requested the members to return to work immediately.

“The minister assured he would submit a cabinet memo on our demands to the next Cabinet meeting and that he will personally intervene in explaining to the Cabinet the necessity to grant those demands despite the stance taken by the officials,” Mr. Jayasekara said.

The PSM comprising Medical Lab Technicians, Pharmacists, Dispensers, Radiographers, X-ray Technicians, Lab Assistants, Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists walked out last Tuesday disrupting the supplementary healthcare services and clinics in hospitals, government dispensaries and other healthcare centres.

The work stoppage had disrupted the issuance of drugs to indoor and outdoor patients, X-ray room operations, testing of blood and other specimens and physiotherapy work.

The PSM demands included, promotions to qualified supplementary staff; the immediate setting up of the supra grade; to replace diplomas for the recruitment of staff for supplementary grade with degrees of supplementary medicine; streamline the private practice by degree holders of supplementary medicine; recruit only pharmacists and terminate the recruiting of dispensers and increase payments for services in an acting capacity. The minister assured he would submit a cabinet memo of our demands to the next Cabinet meeting and that he will personally intervene