Sri Lanka Association of Medical Specialists requests to declare Saturday as a off day (like Sunday) for medical specialists and medical officers They propose this as an interim remedial measure to ease the burden on health care delivery system as well as health care personal only until the current fuel crisis is over. This will definitely ease the demand for fuel with regard to national consumption at least to some extent and result in better and more efficacious use of resources that are already scarce.
“ We have proposed this further to our letter dated 14th June 2022 to you regarding hardships faced by our membership in delivering proper health care due to fuel shortage. Whilst cautioning of the imminent system collapse, bringing virtually everything to a halt, we urge you to arrange few dedicated (exclusive) fuel stations to health care workers at least on a rationed basis. Since people are violent and agitated due to severe fuel shortage, such dedicated fuel stations may need effective security using armed forces to avoid clashing with the public. Some fuel stations may have to be taken over by armed forces for this purpose. Our proposal to declare Saturday as a temporary special holiday (off day like Sunday) for the health sector is purely as a measure to save energy and foreign exchange for the country. However, the emergencies and inward patients will be attended like in any other day. Similar proposal is already in place for all the other public servants as Friday has been declared as official holiday for them considering the prevailing situation. As we have now come to the worst ever position with regard to access to fuel to go to work and attend emergencies, we have no choice other than asking our members to stay at home while keeping only their contactability for telephone advise on as the government seems to be not interested in prioritizing a solution” Medical Specialists said in a press release.
