Hon. Kins Nelson

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, I am pleased to speak on the Health and Mass Media Votes. Previous speakers noted that this Budget presents a strong plan to heal patients and support the sector.

¶ 02 We recall the service of doctors and staff during three decades of war and during COVID-19. When families feared approaching patients with COVID-19, health staff bravely served. In Polonnaruwa District, we offered Welikanda Hospital as a COVID-19 treatment centre despite local opposition, and the staff took on that risk. We thank them.

¶ 03 There are shortages of essential medicines today. The Hon. Minister said Rs. 185 billion is allocated for medicines. But medicines alone are insufficient without doctors and nurses; and vice versa. Previously, substandard drugs and even vaccine vials with glass particles were reportedly brought in, and there was no proper national mechanism to test. We propose a high-tech national lab under the National Medicines Regulatory Authority to comprehensively test both imported and locally made medicines. Without such capacity, people went blind, died, or suffered disabilities due to faulty drugs. A hi‑tech lab in the next Budget would enable proper testing.

¶ 04 In my constituency, in Hingurakgoda and Elahera DS Divisions, hospitals lack maternity wards and even mortuaries. In Aralaganwila, the mortuary refrigeration has been broken for two years; bodies must be transported 50–60 km to Polonnaruwa General Hospital. Gas anaesthesia facilities are lacking for pregnant mothers. Please address these.

¶ 05 Polonnaruwa Kidney Hospital, a Chinese grant, is the most complete renal facility in Sri Lanka. It has 67 dialysis beds but operates only 48 due to staff shortages. Over 100 patients undergo dialysis daily at Polonnaruwa. Please provide the needed cadre. The District has only one anaesthetist; any absence halts surgeries. Please post another anaesthetist.

¶ 06 Ayurveda Hospitals in Minneriya and Manampitiya lack basic facilities: no quarters for doctors, no potable water. The Minneriya Ayurveda Hospital faces wild elephant attacks; just last week, glass frontages were smashed. Though wildlife officers have been informed and estimates done, nothing has happened yet. Also, there are no specialists or nurses; several current staff are being transferred, threatening closure. Religious leaders request starting an Ayurveda ward specifically for monks. Please attend to this.

¶ 07 On Welikanda Hospital, our first COVID-19 centre, there are major shortages including specialists. It can be developed into a good hospital.

¶ 08 Homeopathic practitioners face injustice. Their council has been established contrary to a Supreme Court judgment, and they ask that the judgment be implemented to achieve fairness. I table the related document, and also a submission by the Sri Lanka Broadcasters’ Forum on the Online Safety Act.

¶ 09 We, as Opposition, support good, optimistic decisions that uplift health. We extend cooperation to the Minister and staff. Thank you.