LEN - www.lankaenews.com | The GMOA Capture of Health Administration: The Retaliatory Attempted Ouster of Eye Hospital Director Dr. Jayaruwan Bandara

The GMOA Capture of Health Administration: The Retaliatory Attempted Ouster of Eye Hospital Director Dr. Jayaruwan Bandara

By Ruwan Weerakoon

(Lanka-e-News -2026.June.07, 11.30 PM) An alarming crisis is unfolding within Sri Lanka’s state health sector. Reliable sources reveal a coordinated effort by the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) to force the retaliatory transfer of the Director of the National Eye Hospital, Dr. Jayaruwan Bandara.

The move, reportedly being executed through the Director General of Health Services (DGHS), Dr. Asela Gunawardena, has raised serious concerns regarding political interference and administrative overreach, as there is currently no valid reason, pending disciplinary inquiry, or formal complaint lodged against Dr. Bandara.

The Real Motive: Retaliation for Transferring Errant Union Officials

The driving force behind this sudden transfer push is a direct act of vengeance by the GMOA hierarchy. Dr. Jayaruwan Bandara recently exercised his administrative authority to transfer out disruptive GMOA branch office-bearers stationed at the National Eye Hospital.

Following his bold stance on accountability, several other institutional directors followed Dr. Bandara's lead, transferring out problematic GMOA officials from their respective hospitals as well.

The core allegations that triggered these initial transfers against the GMOA office-bearers include:

Administrative Insubordination: Using their union status to seize unauthorized power, openly refusing to comply with lawful directives issued by hospital directors.

Negligence of Core Duties: Abandoning clinical and administrative responsibilities to focus entirely on union politics.

Staff Harassment: Creating a toxic work environment by routinely intimidating and harassing nursing and minor staff.

Because Dr. Bandara refused to look the other way and successfully dismantled this localized pocket of impunity, the GMOA central leadership is now moving to decisively eliminate him from his post to send a warning to other hospital directors.

Political Appointments and the DGHS-GMOA Nexus

The compliance of the Director General of Health Services, Dr. Asela Gunawardena, in this matter highlights a deeper, systemic issue within the Ministry of Health. Dr. Gunawardena’s appointment to the post of DGHS by then-Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi was widely seen as a political maneuver, heavily backed by the GMOA.

Despite the availability of significantly more qualified medical administration professionals at the time, Dr. Gunawardena was selected—a decision that critics argue left him beholden to the union’s agenda. This "quid pro quo" relationship now threatens to cripple independent hospital administration across the island, as the DGHS repeatedly appears to "dance to the GMOA's tune" at the expense of disciplined directors.

Systemic Inefficiency: The Lady Ridgeway Hospital Precedent

The inefficiency plaguing the current Directorate of Health Services is further underscored by the administrative neglect of other premier institutions.

Case in Point: The Lady Ridgeway Hospital (LRH) for Children—Sri Lanka’s premier, specialized pediatric facility—has been left without a dedicated, permanent director for eleven months. Instead, the Director of the National Hospital of Sri Lanka, Dr. Pradeep Wijesinghe, has been forced to overlook LRH responsibilities simultaneously.

This prolonged vacancy at a critical children's hospital raises a damning question for the Ministry: Is Dr. Asela Gunawardena intentionally delaying the appointment of a permanent head for LRH while waiting for the GMOA to nominate a candidate of their choice, even as he moves with lightning speed to penalize an efficient director like Dr. Bandara?

An Urgent Appeal to the President and the Minister of Health

The National Eye Hospital is currently functioning at an optimal level, delivering vital services to thousands of citizens daily. There is absolutely no rational, professional, or administrative justification for the removal or transfer of Dr. Jayaruwan Bandara.

If the Director General of Health Services continues to compromise the integrity of medical administration to appease union bosses and punish directors who enforce discipline, the entire state health sector risks total paralysis.

The President and the current Minister of Health must open their eyes to this dangerous precedent, intervene immediately to halt the politically motivated, retaliatory transfer of Dr. Bandara, and restore meritocracy and discipline to the health ministry.