Sitting of Tuesday, 17 February 2026
Source: Hansard PDF (parliament.lk) ↗ ·No. 23279 ·English daily/uncorrected Hansard
Order of business
Speeches load per item. Summaries shown here are AI-generated and labelled; verbatim text is on each speech page.
- 1 Opening Parliament Opening and Speaker's Announcements 1 speeches
- 2 Papers Papers: Annual Reports and Committee Reports 6 speeches
- 3 Petitions Petitions 5 speeches
- 4 Oral question Oral Question: Electricity Generated by Solar Panels (Q.2/2025) 15 speeches
- 5 Oral question Oral Question: Stand Down (Q.3/2025) 2 speeches
- 6 Oral question Oral Question: Stand Down (Q.4/2025) 3 speeches
- 7 Oral question Oral Question: Stand Down (Q.6/2025) 3 speeches
- 8 Oral question Oral Question: McHeyzer Stadium, Trincomalee - Development (Q.7/2025) 6 speeches
- 9 Oral question Oral Question: Improvement of Health Facilities for Persons with Disabilities (Q.8/2025) 6 speeches
- The Hon. Sugath Wasantha de Silva JJB
AI summary Hon. Sugath Wasantha de Silva asked the Minister of Health and Mass Media to report on measures taken to improve health care and access for persons with disabilities. He sought details on clinic access, priority procedures in medical institutions, staff training and attitudinal development, technical strategies, use of modern technology, financial assistance for medicines and investigations, and measures to ensure equal access to services.
- The Hon. (Dr.) Hansaka Wijemuni - Deputy Minister of Health JJB
AI summary Deputy Minister Hansaka Wijemuni, replying on behalf of the Minister of Health and Mass Media, outlined measures to improve hospital access and services for persons with disabilities, including upgraded sanitation, rehabilitation units, prosthetics and orthotics services, priority clinic tokens, accessible clinic facilities, and audio-visual health information. He said there is currently no standardized mechanism to identify persons with disabilities at hospital entry points, but plans include dedicated pharmacy, registration and information counters, sign language and disability-sensitivity training for staff, and recruitment of rehabilitation-related health professionals. He also noted proposals to expand assistive device production and repair, seek tax and regulatory support, involve the private sector and caregivers, and establish rehabilitation units in primary hospitals, while clarifying that financial assistance for medicines and tests is handled by the National Secretariat for Persons with Disabilities, not the Health Ministry.
- The Hon. Sugath Wasantha de Silva JJB
AI summary Hon. Sugath Wasantha de Silva thanked the Deputy Minister for the response and acknowledged the islandwide health programme to reduce disability. He raised concerns about communication barriers between health staff and persons with disabilities, particularly regarding sign language. He also asked the Ministry to address the requirement in some hospitals for disabled patients to have a paid companion caregiver before admission, and to consider alternative arrangements.
- The Hon. (Dr.) Hansaka Wijemuni - Deputy Minister of Health JJB
AI summary Deputy Minister Hansaka Wijemuni acknowledged communication difficulties in hospitals and said the Health Ministry has begun awareness programmes for staff on sign language and other communication methods, with plans to expand them. He stated that the Ministry’s objective is to ensure hospital staff provide necessary support to admitted patients with disabilities without requiring external attendants or family members. He attributed remaining gaps to administrative issues, including staff being diverted to other minor duties, and said the Ministry is reviewing the situation hospital by hospital to streamline the system.
- The Hon. Sugath Wasantha de Silva JJB
AI summary Sugath Wasantha de Silva raised concerns about persons with disabilities facing administrative barriers in hospitals, including being required to bring companions at personal expense. He asked whether the Ministry would intervene to reduce the cost of assistive medical devices such as canes and walkers when they are obtained outside state provision.
- The Hon. (Dr.) Hansaka Wijemuni - Deputy Minister of Health JJB
AI summary The Deputy Minister of Health stated that the legal framework has been finalized to impose ceiling prices on medicines and surgical devices, with maximum retail prices to be set based on CIF values for imports. He also said that costly disability-related devices, including hearing aids, can be provided through the Ministry’s named-patient prescription mechanism after specialist confirmation and procurement via the Medical Supplies Division.
- 10 Oral question Oral Question: Media Institutions and Support for Journalists (Q.9/2025) 5 speeches
- 11 Oral question Oral Question: Maritime Security Operations (Q.10/2025) 5 speeches
- 12 Oral question Oral Question Second Round and Ministerial Response (Q.1184/2025, Security Incident) 9 speeches
- 13 Oral question Standing Order 27(2) Question: Qur'an Madrasas Registration 5 speeches
- 14 Oral question Ministry Statement: Reforms of Ceylon Electricity Board 13 speeches
- 15 Procedural Privilege Matters and Points of Order 7 speeches
- 16 Papers Indira Cancer Charitable Trust (Incorporation) Bill - First Reading 2 speeches
- 17 Debate Parliamentary Pensions (Repeal) Bill - Second Reading Debate 69 speeches
- 18 Procedural Parliamentary Pensions (Repeal) Bill - Division on Second Reading 4 speeches
- 19 Procedural Parliamentary Pensions (Repeal) Bill - Committee Stage 25 speeches
- 20 Procedural Parliamentary Pensions (Repeal) Bill - Third Reading 1 speeches
- 21 Procedural Select Committee on Electoral Laws - Motion with Amendment 51 speeches
- 22 Adjournment Adjournment Motion 2 speeches
- 23 Adjournment Adjournment Questions 8 speeches