Colombo, May 22 (IANS): Hundreds of patients across Sri Lanka went without treatment on Monday as government doctors went on a 24-hour strike, crippling the island's health sector.

The strike by doctors of the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) that began on Monday at 8.00 a.m. led to patients being turned away from the state hospitals without medical attention, Xinhua news agency reported.

The GMOA announced last week that it would launch the token strike to protest several issues, including the police firing tear gas on medical students during a May 17 protest to oppose legalising the SAITM College which is Sri Lanka's first private medical college.

GMOA Secretary Nalinda Herath said the strike was to oppose the government's attempts to arrest GMOA President Anuruddha Padeniya on contempt of court charges, and the police action taken against medical students last week.

However, he said emergency services, maternity hospitals, children hospitals, cancer hospitals, tri-forces hospitals and renal treatment units would be free from the strike.