Think of the sick

Wednesday 14th February, 2024

A collective 72 trade unions representing the non-physician health workers in the state sector has resumed its strike much to the inconvenience of the ordinary public, who cannot pay for treatment at private hospitals. The strikers have told the media that the Finance Ministry officials who met them for talks on their demand that they also be paid the DAT (Disturbance, Availability and Transport) allowance did not evince a keen interest in redressing their grievance. The government has increased the DAT allowance for doctors from Rs. 35,000 to Rs. 70,000.

Health sector strikes hurt the ordinary public. The government’s callous disregard for the suffering of the sick is even more hurtful. The SLPP-UNP administration seems to be labouring under the misconception that it has to redress only the grievances of doctors and nurses.

One cannot bring oneself to oppose demands for pay hikes or enhanced allowances for workers, given the ever-increasing cost of living, but there is a pressing need to ensure that the state employees earn their keep. There are very serious allegations against the health sector workers.

The government issued a circular in mid-2023 making it mandatory for all state employees to use the biometric attendance tracking system. But the Public Accounts Committee revealed towards the end of last year that a large number of machines procured for that purpose at a cost of Rs. 30 million were idling in the health sector as workers refused to use them. Those who abuse their trade union power to defy rules and regulations must be severely dealt with, and no public employee, either in the health service or any other sector, must be paid his or her salary unless he or she abides by the attendance policy of the state. It has been reported that even the health workers who do not record their attendance properly are paid overtime!

There is no such thing as government money, and the funds used to grant pay hikes, etc., to doctors and other state employees belong to the public. The cost of salary increases, etc., are passed on to the people in the form of tax hikes.

Some ruling party politicians would have the public believe that they can do without the striking health workers. The government has deployed military personnel in hospitals. However essential such measures may be in the short run, the fact remains that the striking workers are an integral part of the state health service. The government must stop trying to wish away the problem, which is real and very serious. Doctors alone cannot run hospitals. If they can, the government should explain why other health workers were recruited.

Some medical administrators are worse than cantankerous politicians who have a remarkable ability to make issues spin out of control. They are making derogatory remarks about the strikers. Let these worthies be urged to exercise control over their uncivilised tongues without provoking the strikers into intensifying their trade union action.

The government ought to make a serious effort to settle the health sector dispute. Instead of leaving that task to some Finance Ministry panjandrums, either the President or the Prime Minister should get the strikers around the table and try to work out a compromise formula for the sake of poor patients. Health Minister Dr. Ramesh Pathirana has struck a conciliatory note. The strikers must also be flexible. Both parties to the dispute had better be mindful of rising public anger.