Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition

¶ 01 Mr. Chairman, I welcome the opportunity to comment on the health sector—both prevention and treatment.

¶ 02 If the Minister’s development plans become reality on the ground, we will welcome that. Alongside development and recruitment, we must also retain professionals. There are serious issues: as reported by the GMOA, the extra duty allowance per hour reduced from 1/80 of basic salary to 1/120; public holiday and Sunday duty payment reduced from 1/20 to 1/30 of basic salary. The DAT (Disturbance, Availability, and Transport) allowance, transport/vehicle permit issues, allowances for peripheral postings, and living allowances for postgraduate trainees have not been updated. Over 5,000 doctors are preparing to migrate, while many have already left. Cutting allowances in the midst of a severe HR crisis will not help retention. Please address brain drain, restore key allowances, and update approved cadres.

¶ 03 Nurses also face reduced allowances: public holiday and Saturday/Sunday payments from 1/20 to 1/30; hourly rate from 1/160 to 1/200. Nurses shoulder vital responsibilities and supported the Government openly, attending meetings in uniform. Please reconsider and correct these cuts. Resolve issues across the nursing hierarchy.

¶ 04 On allied health graduates—physiotherapists, radiographers, pharmacists, medical laboratory technologists, and nursing—many graduates from free education remain unemployed. Give priority to recruiting them.

¶ 05 Regarding Ayurveda graduates, over 1,800 are unemployed; about 200–250 complete internship annually; there are over 600 vacancies in the indigenous service. Please resolve this and review the 2023 Amendment Act No. 19—especially Section 77(1)—which stakeholders say adversely affects the sector. Local medicinal raw material availability, price hikes, production costs, and patient access are issues that need Government attention.

¶ 06 On dengue control assistants: around 1,200 are on Rs. 22,000 scales. Please regularize their service.

¶ 07 On minor hospital staff: they perform vital work but receive no overtime. Please introduce OT for them. Public Health Midwives receive only Rs. 2 per km travel allowance; facilities are poor; there are many vacancies. 937 have completed training without appointments; 1,200 are under training. Since PHMs are crucial for prevention, please address their issues. Also implement the Cabinet approval to extend nurses’ compulsory retirement age to 63.

¶ 08 Finally, we view health and education as human rights. Our Constitution defines fundamental rights narrowly as civil and political rights, but economic, social, cultural, health, and education should also be recognized as fundamental rights. Either through amendment or a new Constitution as promised, let us enshrine such a broad definition. We will fully support that.

¶ 09 I wish the Hon. Minister success. Recruitment is important, but so is retention amidst a national brain drain. Do not increase basic salary by slashing allowances; increase basic, and preserve essential allowances. Thank you for the time.