Health staff at hospitals across the country are stepping down to launch protests today morning.

Saman Ratnapriya, President of the Government Nurses Association, says that the protests are based on six demands, including protesting against the recruitment of pregnant women.

He says health staff will be out of all their services from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. and will be on strike from 12 to 1 p.m. He said 44 health unions were participating in the protests