The Government Medical Officers' Association has opposed a proposal to create an exclusive service category for specialist doctors, arguing it could divide the medical profession and undermine Sri Lanka's free healthcare system.
The Government Medical Officers' Association (GMOA) has raised concerns over what it describes as political attempts to fragment the medical workforce by creating divisions between specialist and non-specialist doctors. The association warns that such divisions could destabilize both the medical service and the country's commitment to free healthcare provision.
According to the GMOA, a multi-stakeholder committee involving the Ministry of Health and various professional associations had previously agreed to establish a unified service structure called the "Sri Lanka Medical Service" to retain doctors across all categories. The association states that assurances were provided during parliamentary budget discussions that this integrated approach would be implemented. However, a new proposal now suggests establishing a separate service category exclusively for specialist doctors, which the GMOA opposes.
The association contends that creating a distinct category for only one group of medical professionals could generate tensions within the medical workforce and ultimately harm patient care. The GMOA has submitted both verbal and written objections to the relevant authorities but says it has not received the committee's full report despite multiple requests. The organization held emergency meetings of its provincial, district, and specialist doctor subcommittees in late August to chart its response to the proposal.
