Colombo, Sept 17: An estimated 80,000 Sri Lankan medical sector employees launched an indefinite strike today crippling state-run hospitals and forcing the government to deploy security forces to man essential services, officials said. The health services trade union alliance said that 80,000 of their members were taking part in the strike to press their demands for higher salaries.

Some categories of employees are asking for an 80 percent salary increase while the government says it is unable to meet the demand. "We want the authorities to give us a hearing and address the salary issue," the convenor of the alliance, Ravi Kumudesh, said.

He said the trade union action was not extended to the main children's hospital, the cancer institute and two maternity wards in the capital.

The government responded by deploying security forces to man essential services in hospitals where cooks, drivers, laboratory staff and medical technicians went on strike. Bureau Report