The Hon. M.S. Uthumalebbe

¶ 01 Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim.

¶ 02 Hon. Presiding Member, I am pleased to join the Committee Stage debate on the Heads of Health and Mass Media for 2026. We may be MPs, Ministers, or Opposition members, but when sudden illness strikes, we first go to the nearest hospital. This Ministry deals with our well-being, and the Hon. Health Minister is serving not only in Batticaloa in the East, but nationally; we thank him and his officials.

¶ 03 In the Eastern Province’s hospitals there are grave vacancies: 34 Medical Officer posts, 38 specialist posts, 3 Medical Superintendents, 16 dental surgeons, 3 Resident Medical Officers, 67 pharmacists, 31 management service officers, 21 junior medical laboratory technologists, 14 medical laboratory technologists, and 205 health service assistants. In Ayurvedic institutions, 56 nursing and 26 staff vacancies exist. Please prioritize filling these.

¶ 04 Since 1999, hundreds have served as health volunteers in the East. They organized as the Eastern Province Health Volunteers’ Association and have long sought permanency. During my two terms as Provincial Minister, and also Hon. Hisbullah’s tenure, we tried, but lacked central government approval. Now, with around 270 vacancies for health assistants (205) and Ayurvedic nurses (56), please grant special approval to appoint long-serving volunteers in the East to these posts through the Provincial Health Ministry.

¶ 05 Former State Minister Faisal Cassim, from Nintavur, laid the foundation for a women and children’s hospital on a four-acre site purchased by the people, with Rs. 70 million of Health Ministry funds. This is for all Ampara District people, not just Nintavur. Please complete the pending works. Locals have also secured another two acres near the Akkaraipattu–Athaulachenai main road for an Ayurvedic hospital; please prioritize its construction in the upcoming Budget.

¶ 06 I must also say: during President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s rule, the COVID-19 bodies of Muslims were cremated. Because Muslims did not vote for him, their janazas were cremated. Our party leader Hon. Rauff Hakeem asked for the list of those cremated; I too raised it at the Ministry’s Advisory Committee. Your Government, including the President, helped and supported us on this just cause. It is your responsibility to fulfill this reasonable request. Please provide the list of those whose remains were cremated.

¶ 07 Lastly, for over nine decades, SLBC’s Muslim Service has been the only dedicated Islamic cultural, literary, historical, musical, dramatic, educational, and social content platform for Sri Lankan Muslims. No private station matches its cultural focus. We are grateful. However, during Ramadan, 60–70 minutes of advertisements, including just before the Sahar prayer call, and long, repetitive religious programming without thematic diversity breach broadcasting ethos and spoil listener experience. To regain strategic direction, appoint a dedicated full-time Director with cultural and linguistic understanding, create an independent review and quality assurance panel, and constitute a representative council akin to the 1953–54 Broadcasting Commissions with Muslim community representation.

¶ 08 Finally, there are complaints that patients’ vehicles going to Sri Jayewardenepura Hospital are being charged for parking. Please act to help poor patients. Thank you.