Nurses take midwives to Court

By Umesh Moramudali-

Government Nursing Officers' Association (GNOA) yesterday filed a case in the Court of Appeal against Health Ministry officials and Government Midwifery Services Association (GMSA) for not implementing a circular stating that midwives should be supervised by matrons.

GNOA President Saman Ratnapriya said circular 8-22/2014 issued on 18 June by Health Ministry Secretary Sudharma Karunaratne stated that matrons and nursing sisters should carry out supervision work in the hospital, but the midwives keep refusing to work under matrons.

Health Ministry Secretary, Health Services Director General Dr. Palitha Mahipala, directors of the Ragama, Peradeniya and Ratnapura hospitals and GMSA were named as respondents.
Ratnapriya said matrons and nurses are qualified health employees to be empowered to carry out supervisory activities as they are the only categories in the health sector which receives one and half years training on administration and supervising.

However, GMSA President Devika Kodituwakku said midwives are given step-motherly treatment by nurses.
"Midwives were harassed by some nurses and we refuse to work under them. Recently midwives in some hospitals were attacked by nurses," she noted

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Other Testimony On The Premadasa Murder

Late President R. Premadasa

By Rajan Hoole -June 28, 2014

Rajan Hoole

Political Murders, the Commissions and the Unfinished Task – 4

The eight days, which separated the murder of Lalith Athulathmudali on 23rd April 1993 and that of Premadasa on 1 May, were marked by stormy emotions. Premadasa’s alleged complicity in the first was widely aired. Those who were keenly struck by this atmosphere felt uneasy about accepting the LTTE’s complicity in the murder of Premadasa. One instance concerned a group of persons, whom it is said, in paying their respects to the body of Athulathmudali, swore that they would get Premadasa.

Another striking testimony came from a journalist who closely associated with Athulathmudali. The latter had good reason to fear for his life (Sects. 19.1 & 19.6). When the journalist once went to see Athulathmudali and climbed upstairs, Athulathmudali came out of the door and addressed him in a defiant tone, “So you are the one who is always cautioning me about my security? Let me tell you, if anything happens to me, Premadasa will not live another week!” The journalist asked him, “But does Premadasa know that? If not what’s the point; you will be dead!” Athulathmudali ignored the question and changed the subject. Just after Athulathmudali’s murder, a remark to the same effect was made to the journalist by a member of the former’s family. When the journalist pressed him further, he went silent.Read More