Magistrate cancels order:

Nurses can now enter Cancer Hospital

Sarath MALALASEKERA

Nugegoda Magistrate Wasantha Jinadasa yesterday cancelled an earlier Court Order preventing nurses attached to the Cancer Hospital from entering the Hospital.

The nurses are now free to enter the Hospital according to the Magistrate's Order.

Magistrate Jinadasa made this order on an application by Maharagama Cancer Hospital nurse D.E.T. Udayangani that she had received a note from Maharagama Hospital not to report to the Maharagama Cancer Hospital.

The Magistrate observed that when Maharagama Police made the application to prevent Udayangani from reporting to the Hospital, Maharagama Police had suppressed the order given by the Court of Appeal restraining the order against the Secretary and the Director Health Services preventing their transfer, when Police made the application to prevent Udayangani from entering the Hospital.

At the outset, Senior Attorney Upali Senaratne, Senior Counsel for Udayangani, submitted to Court that Maharagama Police had served a note to her ordering her not to report to Cancer Hospital.

Senior Attorney Senaratne in his lengthy submissions said Maharagama Police had obtained an order from the Nugegoda Magistrate suppressing the fact that the nurses had obtained an order from the Court of Appeal restraining the order against the Secretary and the Director of Health Services preventing their transfer.

The Senior Counsel submitted that his client Udayangani is on maternity leave and the note does not apply to her.

When the Magistrate inquired from Maharagama Police, who was present in Court, about the Court of Appeal order, they denied such knowledge.

After the submissions by Senior Counsel Senaratne the Magistrate reserved the order, for yesterday.

Senior Attorney Upali Senaratne with Chandana Kalansooriya and Nadeeka Kalubovila appeared for Udayangani.