The Hon. Kaveenthiran Kodeeswaran

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, I am pleased to speak in the Committee Stage debate on allocations to Health and Mass Media.

¶ 02 This year, more funds have been allocated to the media sector than before. The Hon. Minister is performing well. During his visit to Thirukkovil Hospital, he promised to provide what is needed, including funding this year for a multi-storey building; I commend and congratulate him.

¶ 03 Thirukkovil Base Hospital was long neglected—planned and sidelined by previous Ministers and officials—despite being one of the oldest in Ampara. Though allocations were made, funds did not arrive; discrimination left Tamil-area hospitals behind. The current Minister identified deficiencies and pledged to address them; the people of Ampara thank him.

¶ 04 However, Thirukkovil’s cadre remains as when it was a divisional hospital. Since 2017 it has been a Base Hospital, which should have 20 doctors but has only nine; it needs 55 nurses but has 30; only 21 minor staff; only one specialist, with VOG, surgeon, radiologist, and paediatrician visiting temporarily. Please ensure permanent postings for these. Quarters are very dilapidated, and even toilets were in a broken state when you visited.

¶ 05 Kalmunai North Base Hospital is an “A” grade hospital, upgraded in 1973, and now led by a Director. It should be a District General Hospital given its 120-year history and service level. It requires, among other things, a sewage treatment plant appropriate to its grade, and additional machinery such as an MRI scanner. Please visit directly and fulfil these needs. Thank you.