The Hon. (Mrs.) Rohini Kumari Wijerathna

¶ 01 Hon. Minister Nalinda Jayatissa, you spoke extensively about health while in Opposition; I’m pleased you are now the Minister. I’ll be happier if you implement what you then advocated.

¶ 02 This Budget has several positives. One is the program on estate hospitals. Reviving those long‑neglected facilities is good—but if you assign them back to plantation companies, I doubt we’ll see success, because under company control many were closed. These must come under Government oversight—not a split system with estate hospitals under companies and others under Government.

¶ 03 Programs for children with autism are good, but there is no systematic identification process in schools. Please work with the Education Ministry to train teachers on screening and support.

¶ 04 On thalassemia patients: you plan to continue a program initiated in 2018 under the Good Governance Government—please strengthen it.

¶ 05 You call this a “people’s Government,” yet allocate Rs. 20,000 million to service SriLankan Airlines’ debt—Rs. 10,000 million capital and Rs. 10,000 million interest. Though listed on paper by the Finance Ministry, it is taxpayers—many of whom have never even seen a plane—that pay. That is hardly “people‑centric.”

¶ 06 Looking at the Health Ministry’s estimates: for improving supplies in 688 linear ministry hospital emergency units, allocations are zero. For provincial health services development, Rs. 12,190 million is allocated—less than what you give SriLankan Airlines. That is not people‑centric.

¶ 07 On doctors and nurses: many are demoralized and leaving. These are the very people who helped bring this Government to power—nurses in uniform at rallies, doctors advocating “Let’s change.” Now the “change” has hit doctors and nurses instead. Specific issues: - Nurses’ 1/160 overtime has been changed to 1/200. - Public Health staff 1/80 overtime to 1/120. - Holiday pay for services (1/20) changed to 1/30—for both categories.

¶ 08 This is like giving with one hand and taking with the other. Remember the Grade 6 math lesson: which is larger—1/160 or 1/200? 1/80 or 1/120? Do not do this injustice; at least allow them dignity. Please resolve these during your discussions.

¶ 09 A truly people’s Government would shift funds from airline bailouts to Health and Education, to develop regional hospitals and primary care.

¶ 10 On medicines: I table the “Out of Stock Medicines at MSD – 333” list from the Medical Supplies Division as of 27 January 2025—333 items out of stock. The Minister said 568 items were restored, but this chart shows 333 still out, and would take nine months to procure—meaning for nine more months those medicines are unavailable. Please come to the Health Ministry for accurate lists, not rely on Mass Media Ministry figures.

¶ 11 Rebuild the procurement process. Officials now fear to move files. In 2016 we had a robust annual forecasting and tendering system—complete by November so the next year’s supplies arrive on time. This year’s basics are still incomplete; by September 2025, 333 items will still be hard to obtain. Don’t blanket‑label officials as thieves; fear has stalled the supply chain.

¶ 12 We earlier built an app to track stock and distribution, but it was scrapped, hindering visibility of surplus/deficits. Please restore and modernize it. Also reinstate price controls. Under Good Governance, prices of 48 medicines were reduced, cutting the medicines bill by roughly Rs. 4 billion (from Rs. 14 billion to Rs. 10 billion in 2019). Since then, prices escalated. Regulate private hospital fees as well.

¶ 13 On “family doctor”: that initiative began in 2017. Likewise, the health check‑up for those over 40 is not new—the earlier plan covered those 35 and above under the World Bank’s PHC reorganization. I table the report “Reorganizing Primary Health Care in Sri Lanka”—page 30 shows this. Please don’t rebrand old programs.

¶ 14 Finally, specialist shortages are acute. There are about 1,900 clinical specialists; current vacancy lists show around 750 posts. Mannar has no paediatric specialist. As of this morning, transfers indicate about 780 specialists are planning to leave (or resign), with 278 returned from foreign training—only about 100 reported; around 60 have gone abroad again. Many cadres—anaesthesia, ophthalmology, paediatrics—are short. Recruit and retain them. If money is the issue, reallocate from airline debt to essential services. Also, will you regularize the Dengue Task Force assistants? And implement the court order to constitute the Homeopathy Council and safeguard the field. Lastly, allow local government candidates from your Ministry’s staff—like Mr. Dhammika Payagala of Kalutara—to return to work; open that door if you are truly people‑centric.