The Hon. (Prof.) Chrishantha Abeysena — Minister of Science and Technology

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, thank you for the opportunity to speak on the Health Head. Over the past 30–40 years, our health sector has gradually deteriorated, though strong elements still remain. We have allocated Rs. 654 billion to health this time — likely the largest ever. We have advocated reaching 5% of GDP for health and 6% for education, but given the country’s situation, this must be done progressively; we are increasing health spending step by step.

¶ 02 Regarding indigenous medicine: before colonization, our people relied on traditional systems — Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani — and we must value them. We have allocated Rs. 6.8 billion to increase indigenous facilities — not a small sum; it equals my Ministry’s entire allocation. As a percentage it may seem low, but as we move towards 5% of GDP for health, Ayurveda’s share can also rise, progressively.

¶ 03 We know there are disparities in Ayurvedic officers’ issues and they should be corrected. Some say there is no separate Minister now, but even when there were Cabinet Ministers for indigenous medicine, did the sector develop? Nationalist slogans did not prevent the sector’s decline — an example being the “Dhammika Peniya” episode. Regulation is essential. In the past, registrations were issued without proper order, yet registration is a serious certification concerning human life.

¶ 04 Reviving the sector means creating linkages among Ayurvedic hospitals — some under the Department, some under Provincial Councils, some under local authorities — which now operate independently without coordination, sometimes side by side under different authorities, with no integration. We must build a coherent, regulated, and connected indigenous medical system.