The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) yesterday threw down the gauntlet at Social Empowerment and Welfare Deputy Minister.

In a public Facebook post, the GMOA asked the Deputy Minister to resolve the predicted lack of doctors in 2018, due to the SAITM issue.

‘Dear MP Ranjan Ramanayake our membership has a question from you According to you Dr. Padeniya's channeling cancellation is the biggest issue in the country at the moment. But county is facing a bigger problem now. There won't be intern doctors in Sri Lanka from 2018 as Medical Students boycott lectures. Entire health sector will collapse in 2018 as Sri Lanka is not producing Doctors. SLMC examiners announced that they would not attend ERPM exam until Local Students attend lectures. Are you aware about this? Can you find a solution for this problem through your FB page?’, the GMOA asked.

Medical students have been boycotting lectures and participating in protests against the South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM).