Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne has instructed Health Services Acting Director General Dr. J. M. W. Jayasundara Bandara to pay all due salaries immediately to the Medical Laboratory Technicians (MLTs) attached to Polonnaruwa District, a Health Ministry spokesman said.According to the spokesman, Minister Senaratne had given this instruction after being apprised that salaries had not been paid to them for a period of 13 months (over one year).
Due to this situation, all initial medical tests carried out in order to diagnose Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown Origin (CKDU) had stopped.Minister Senaratne became aware of this situation through media reports. The minister has also instructed Dr. Bandara to conduct all relevant medical tests without any interruption to diagnose CKDU, he said. According to some recent media ports, all medical tests carried out to diagnose CKDU stopped because salaries had not been paid to the MLTs for 13 months.
They are the ones conducting the diagnostic tests, he added.