New doctors set terms for N-E duty

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
Seventy five doctors who completed their internship and were posted to hospitals in the northern and eastern provinces have refused to take up duties.

The doctors were expected to start working from January 1, 1998.

They have put forward some stringent conditions for working in the war torn north and east of the island.

The Government Medical Officers' Association is holding talks currently with Sri Lanka's Health Ministry about the conditions stipulated by the reluctant doctors.

The following are their demands:

• Free plane tickets every month for going home every month on leave.
• Death of a doctor under tragic circumstances while serving in the north or east should entail his or her family the full salary of the deceased medical officer.
• Each doctor should be insured for one million rupees during his or her service period in the north and east.
• Should be transferred out of the northeast after six months of duty there.