Hon. Ashoka Gunasekara

¶ 01 Similarly, Members presented points regarding those leaving the country and the brain drain. Up to the point of presenting this Budget, the National People’s Power Government has made great sacrifices along this journey. Amid the recent economic collapse in our country, because our doctors and nurses chose not to abandon the country and extended their full cooperation, Sri Lanka’s health sector remained at a very high standard globally. Therefore, we must honour those who held the country together during that period. We must extend our respect to doctors, nurses and all professionals in the health sector who carried the sector through that time. They are the ones who actually sustained the system. However, under this victorious, people-centred Budget we have presented, such adverse situations have not arisen for them to consider leaving.

¶ 02 Having an Opposition that only points out shortcomings even in a Budget like this also reflects an underdeveloped aspect within our own health sector. If such a Budget had been presented for so long by governments of the past, we would not see this kind of Opposition. What we see now is an Opposition that should be working with these Budget proposals to move the country forward.

¶ 03 The National People’s Power policy is to build a prosperous country. Our aspiration is to create people who can live beautiful lives in such a prosperous country. We have heard about the famous Russian author Nikolai Ostrovsky. In his book “How the Steel Was Tempered,” he wrote that the most precious thing a person has is life, and it is given only once. Our mission is to help make that single life a beautiful one. That is why these health policies and this expenditure head have been designed: to keep life away from illness, to prevent disease, to cure disease, and to maintain wellness.

¶ 04 We know that health victories are the results of immense sacrifices in human history. Edward Jenner discovered the smallpox vaccine; until then, countless lives were lost to smallpox. Many such sacrifices exist throughout history. Among the fruits of such sacrifice is the Ayurvedic medical service, maintained with notable devotion. In some villages, there are still traditional physicians who do not charge for their service. Our political philosophy values such selfless service. We believe our people can excel in unpaid, altruistic endeavours because we recognize those who served quietly within our country. In this year’s Budget, special attention has been paid to the Ayurveda sector. Special focus has been given to Sinhala traditional medicine, Unani, and Siddha-Ayurveda. For the Department of Indigenous Medicine and administrative and institutional services, Rs. 574 million has been allocated. Within that are provisions for 75 provincial hospitals, 21 homeopathic hospitals, conservation boards, and allocations under COMA for the Ayurvedic sector. Funds have also been allocated to promote indigenous systems: setting up nutrition centres, developing homeopathy, and strengthening homeopathic hospital laboratories and research services.

¶ 05 Further, attention has been given to medicinal plant cultivation under the “Osu Diriya” programme. A significant amount of foreign exchange leaves the country due to importing medicinal ingredients; therefore, the Budget places special focus on local medicinal cultivation. In addition, funds are allocated for traditional medicine research: promoting and safeguarding traditional medical systems, associated projects and services, and research and medicinal gardens.

¶ 06 Hon. Presiding Member, under hospital operations, a special initiative provides allocations for Ayurveda care services within hospitals. This Budget is a special moment for the health sector. Funds are allocated for training all health workers. Screening for everyone over 35 years of age has been emphasized. First-aid training programmes linked with schoolchildren have been arranged so there will be a first-aid–trained person in every household. Many people with heart attacks die before reaching hospital because family members lack first-aid knowledge. This Budget addresses that too; it is a truly people-oriented Budget. The National People’s Power Government shoulders this responsibility in health.

¶ 07 Thank you very much for this opportunity, Hon. Presiding Member.