Colombo, Sri Lanka – Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa has urged an end to the ongoing medical strike at the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital, emphasizing that the main suspect in the incident has already been arrested and that further investigations are in progress.
Speaking in Parliament, the Minister confirmed that law enforcement authorities acted swiftly, apprehending the suspect within 36 hours of the incident. He stated that five investigative teams were deployed, and based on intelligence received last night, authorities were able to locate and arrest the suspect this morning.
Minister Jayatissa also acknowledged the media’s cooperation in not disclosing the suspect’s identity, stating:
“As a government, we requested through social media and the press not to reveal the identity of the suspect. The media fulfilled this responsibility, and I am grateful for that. No media outlet has disclosed the identity, and I hope they will continue to maintain this discretion.”
During his visit to Anuradhapura Hospital this morning, the Minister observed that hospital staff were deeply shaken by the incident. He assured them that enhanced security measures would be implemented to ensure their safety and that necessary steps were being taken to strengthen hospital security services.
“There are shortcomings in the security service, and we have discussed them. Doctors working in areas like Anuradhapura make significant sacrifices. We must ensure their safety moving forward, and we are committed to doing so,” he added.
Despite these reassurances, doctors and hospital staff, including members of the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA), have continued their strike in protest. The Minister has called on them to resume work as investigations progress and measures are taken to address their security concerns.
