COLOMBO, May 17 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of patients were stranded in Sri Lanka on Thursday as healthcare facilities in state hospitals came to a standstill following a strike launched by doctors from the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA).

Local media reported that the GMOA began the strike on Thursday morning and will end it on Friday.

It is being staged against the recently signed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Sri Lanka and Singapore and a proposed Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement with India.

Deputy Director of Cardiology and OPD services of the National Hospital of Sri Lanka, Dr. Cyril De Silva told local media that healthcare services at the Out Patient Department and other clinical treatments were crippled because of the strike.

Emergency treatment units, emergency admissions and emergency surgeries were, however, operational.

The GMOA have alleged that the FTA signed with Singapore will have consequences on the Sri Lankan economy and have urged the government to reconsider.