Hon. (Dr.) Hansaka Wijemuni - Deputy Minister of Health and Mass Media

¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, on behalf of the Minister:

¶ 02 (a) (i) Approval to fill vacancies was granted by Department of Management Services (DMS) letter No. DMS/NP/0302 dated 2019.03.28. Interviews were held from 2019.05.27 to 2019.06.18. Appointment letters dated 2019.11.18 were sent by registered post to 454 eligible candidates instructing them to report to respective Regional Directors of Health Services on 2019.11.25. However, following the 2019 Presidential Election, the Presidential Secretariat, by letter No. DMS/Policy/Recruitments dated 2019.11.20, directed that “all recruitments be temporarily suspended.” The Northern Province Chief Secretary accordingly suspended the recruitments; appointees could not assume duties. (ii) DMS Circular No. 02/2020 dated 2020.10.26 requires recruitments to primary service grades to be undertaken by the Multi-Purpose Development Task Force. Despite multiple submissions by the Governor, Chief Secretary of Northern Province and the Ministry of Health to DMS, Ministry of Finance and the Presidential Secretariat, no favourable response has been received. A case regarding this is pending before the Provincial High Court in Jaffna. (iii) Staff shortages affect service delivery; however, patient care services continue in an orderly and uninterrupted manner.

¶ 03 (b) (i)-(ii) Requests have again been forwarded through the Northern Province Chief Secretary to the DMS/Ministry of Finance to proceed with recruiting these assistants. Upon receipt of approvals, recruitment will be expedited.

¶ 04 (c) Does not arise.