The Hon. (Dr.) Elayathamby Srinath

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to speak on the Committee Stage debate on the Heads of Expenditure of Health and Mass Media.

¶ 02 For 2026, Rs. 654 billion is allocated to health — essential to rebuild the sector. I thank the Hon. Minister for including cath labs and MRI facilities we requested in the last Budget debate, and Rs. 100 million to establish radiology services. A branch of ‘Osusala’ has also been opened in our district.

¶ 03 I must raise several district concerns. Batticaloa District General Hospital is the only teaching/tertiary hospital in the Eastern Province. One building is over 80 years old and at risk of collapse; NBRO has recommended demolition and building a new six-storey structure to relocate the maternity and ENT units currently housed there. This requires urgent attention.

¶ 04 Space is a major problem. A prison is adjacent to the hospital. The Justice Minister told me that if we apply through the District Development Committee, they will consider relocating the prison and allocating the land to the hospital. Hon. Health Minister, please convene a meeting in our district with your Deputy Minister, consider provincial matters as well, and progress this next year. You have already visited our district twice in a month and done much; on behalf of Batticaloa, I thank you.

¶ 05 There is a shortage of specialist wards — especially for OMF, genitourinary, and endocrinology — forcing long-term diabetic patients to be managed in other wards, even though diabetes prevalence is high nationally. Please consider adding dedicated wards in the next Budget. The hospital has about 1,100 beds with over 80% bed occupancy; please prioritize.

¶ 06 In Valachchenai Base Hospital (serving over 100,000 in Batticaloa North), there is no permanent consultant anaesthetist; services are MO-based. Appoint ward-certified consultants for continuity. Although it is a provincial hospital, it lacks an A&E Unit; significant funding is needed.

¶ 07 Under RDHS, two hospitals — Thuraineelavanai and Paalimeenmadu — lack ambulances. Please provide them, and arrange for the ‘Suwaseriya’ 1990 ambulance service for Vellaveli next year.

¶ 08 Many dengue eradication assistants have been made permanent, but those with qualifications above O/L have not. The President promised permanency for non-permanent workers. Those now permanent draw higher salaries. Kindly regularize the remaining eligible assistants.

¶ 09 There are cadre shortages in the RDHS — especially minor staff and drivers — impeding services despite repeated district-level representations.

¶ 10 Nurses are maldistributed across the province; Batticaloa has severe shortages, and there is tension between the Provincial Director and Secretary. Though provincial, please intervene to achieve a lasting solution so services run smoothly. In indigenous medicine, many graduates remain unemployed; please take action. Thank you.