Professionals in Supplementary Medical Service have launched a token strike against the government’s decision to not provide them with the Disturbance, Availability and Transport (DAT) allowance of Rs.

35,000.The trade union action commenced at 8:00 a.m.

at all government hospitals.Commenting on the matter, the president of the Joint Council for Professions of Supplementary Medicine, Ravi Kumudesh took issue with the Cabinet’s decision to increase the DAT allowance for government doctors but not for health professionals.Kumudesh said the supplementary medical professionals have completely been neglected by the government when serving ‘economic justice’.He also vowed to resort to a continuous strike action in the event the authorities fail to address the issue.On Monday (Jan.08), the Cabinet of Ministers gave the nod to President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s proposal to double the DAT allowance paid to government doctors, raising it from Rs.

35,000 to Rs.

70,000.