The Hon. Kaveenthiran Kodeeswaran

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, I am pleased to participate in today’s Committee Stage debate on the allocations to the Ministry of Health. Both inside and outside this House, I have repeatedly reminded the Hon. Minister about the shortcomings at the Thirukkovil Base Hospital.

¶ 02 Among base hospitals in Sri Lanka, Thirukkovil uniquely suffers both resource and staff shortages. Since I have raised this often, I hope the Minister is familiar with it and will respond in his reply. I will not detail it now.

¶ 03 In Ampara District, many divisional and base hospitals, such as Komari, Karaitivu, Navithanveli and Malwatte, also face staff and resource shortages. In Komari, there were two doctors six months ago; now only one doctor serves part-time. Previously it functioned full-time with doctors and nurses; now it is barely operational. Historically, Tamil areas were neglected in health planning and development by past governments, leaving major gaps in staffing and resources. In Ampara there are seven base hospitals which received allocations of Rs. 1,200 million, Rs. 1,800 million and Rs. 2,000 million, but Thirukkovil Base Hospital received none.

¶ 04 On drug shortages: there is acute scarcity of medicines for blood disorders such as Factor VII and Factor VIII. Please ensure adequate supplies to all hospitals.

¶ 05 This country saw a 30-year war; from then until now, nearly 40 journalists have been murdered—Sivaram, Nadesan, Prageeth Ekneligoda, Sugirtharajan, Nirmalarajan, Lasantha Wickrematunge among them. Some were killed within High Security Zones. Though security and intelligence knew, their families have no justice to date, and perpetrators still walk free—even appearing in this very Parliament in the past. Those responsible must be punished, and the families of these journalists must receive compensation and housing. You provide extra housing and scholarships to journalists in the South, but none to those in the North and East. Please prioritize and fulfil the urgent needs of journalists in the North and East, who work under threats and hardships with a spirit of sacrifice.

¶ 06 Last year, when people in Mayilathamadu and Mathavanai protested against pastureland encroachment, two senior journalists, Palasingam Kishok Kumar and Sasi Punniyamurthy, were summoned by Police and cases were filed against them for merely gathering information at the scene. Media freedom must be protected. While international media bodies spoke out, domestic media institutions remained silent. When journalists raise their voices for truth, all media institutions should unite to support them.

¶ 07 Currently, there are 1,500 dengue eradication officers who have been working for eight years without permanent appointments. Though some with requisite qualifications have been confirmed, many have not. Please expedite permanent appointments based on merit to all eligible officers. I thank the Hon. Minister for decisions already taken in this regard.