The chairman of the Jaffna doctor’s union has told Uthayan that they are determined to appeal against the ban placed on their protest at Jaffna Teaching Hospital.

The doctors had been prevented from striking by a court injunction placed against a day-long suspension of services in the hospital’s outpatient’s unit but pledged to protest anyway.

In a statement to Uthayan, the union’s chairman said:

“Investigations into both the attack on the home of Jaffna Teaching Hospital’s oncologist and into ongoing corruption at the hospital are unfolding too slowly, if at all. We had resolved to strike to press for inquiries to be held without any further delay.

“We had requested in writing for permission to conduct the strike. In response to this, Jaffna Police’s Officer in Charge had requested a ban from the Magistrate’s Court on what he called ‘an illegal protest'.

“Magistrate judge M Ganesarajah had then approved this request and ordered the injunction. It was also ordered that force could be used if necessary to disperse those found violating the ban and participating in the protest.

“Accepting this, we were forced to call off yesterday’s strike. Nevertheless it had only been our intention to protest in a peaceful manner. Patients would not have been affected in any way by our protest as admissions, inpatient treatment and emergency services would not have been disrupted.

“We have therefore decided to appeal against the ban.”