The Hon. Wasantha Pushpa Kumara

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, thank you for the opportunity on the day we adopt the expenditure head of the Ministry of Health and Mass Media. Under the theme “A healthy life for a healed society,” a large allocation has been made. I wish to comment on allocations in general and for my district, Ratnapura.

¶ 02 Through a network of three national hospitals, 15 teaching hospitals, 14 specialized hospitals, 21 district general hospitals, base hospitals, health offices, and PHC units, services are provided nationwide. In this Budget we have allocated: Rs. 43 billion for hospital development; Rs. 363 billion for hospital operations; Rs. 6 billion for indigenous health services; Rs. 187 billion for medical supplies; Rs. 12.9 billion for the House programme, nutrition packs for pregnant mothers, and maternal and early childhood nutrition; Rs. 10.4 billion for disease prevention; Rs. 1.3 billion for health research; Rs. 24.9 billion for capacity development of health staff; and Rs. 4.2 billion for Suwaseriya ambulances. Recurrent expenditure totals Rs. 543 billion and capital Rs. 111 billion, amounting to Rs. 654 billion in 2026, to elevate the health service.

¶ 03 For Ratnapura District: Rs. 300 million for stage two of the three-storey oncology unit at Ratnapura Teaching Hospital; Rs. 500 million to enhance the cardiac unit; Rs. 300 million to continue the five-storey building at Kalawana Base Hospital; and Rs. 100 million to complete ward complexes at Embilipitiya DGH—over Rs. 1,200 million in total.

¶ 04 From the 2025 Budget, in Sabaragamuwa Province’s Ratnapura District, about Rs. 750 million is being spent on 109 health projects; many will be completed by end-December. At Balangoda Base Hospital, funds were allocated to rectify deficits in theatre, maternity, and paediatric wards; works are progressing well.

¶ 05 In my electorate—Rassagala, Belihuloya, and Kalthota hospitals—funds were provided to address deficiencies, and work is underway. Kalthota Medabadda Ayurveda Hospital had seen no development for years; we allocated Rs. 12 million for six projects and have completed them. We addressed HR gaps by appointing two Ayurveda Medical Officers and restoring services. The long-closed Kalthota community health centre has been reopened with two Ayurveda doctors. The Balangoda PMCU is currently within the MOH office; preventive and curative must be separated, and we have secured land and funds to build a new PMCU by 2026.

¶ 06 In my village, Belihuloya, I remember as a child going with my mother to the Ihala Galagama health centre, long neglected. We have now allocated about Rs. 8 million and upgraded it significantly.

¶ 07 The Opposition claims health is collapsing. We have been in office about a year; within this time we have laid a solid foundation to fix deficiencies. Using the Budget allocations, we will deliver a strong health service to our people. Thank you.