The Hon. Mohamed Sali Naleem

¶ 01 In the Batticaloa District, there are many issues concerning healthcare. Therefore, I earnestly request the Hon. Minister of Health to pay special attention to improving the health sector in Batticaloa.

¶ 02 Hon. Minister of Health, although the Eravur Base Hospital has been upgraded, it still lacks even basic facilities befitting a base hospital and continues to function with constraints similar to a rural hospital. I request that the essential needs of the Eravur Base Hospital be fulfilled. A three-storey building constructed there with Chinese financial assistance was opened a year ago, yet even now it cannot be operated due to a lack of basic facilities. To operationalize it, a 160 kVA generator is required. When I inquired from Mr. P.D. Costa, he stated that the Ministry of Health has not yet released the funds. If funds are released, the building can be made operational to serve the people.

¶ 03 There is also a severe shortage of human resources at that hospital: specifically, three medical consultants, fifteen medical officers, and four Public Health Midwives are lacking. Further, there are 13 vacancies for SKS (Ordinary) and 26 for SKS (Junior). Compared to other divisional hospitals, Eravur Hospital remains with minimal basic facilities. At District and Divisional Development Committee meetings, we are told that if the Ministry of Health releases consultants and specialists such as VOGs, adequate staffing could be provided; yet time is being dragged without action.

¶ 04 Moreover, due to space constraints at Eravur Base Hospital, there is a plot of land nearby belonging to Sri Lanka Railways (CGR). A public market currently functions on it, and a permanent market building is to be opened soon. Therefore, if that land is released to the Eravur Base Hospital, buildings can be put up to address space shortages and render better service to the public. I request the Hon. Minister to facilitate this.

¶ 05 In the Meerakerni, Iyankerny, and Michenagar areas, about 20,000 families live, centered around a rural dispensary that functions essentially as a dispensary only. If you could upgrade it with ward facilities and make it operational 24 hours, it would greatly benefit local residents who currently face severe hardships accessing care. Furthermore, establishing a branch of a State Pharmaceutical Corporation pharmacy in the Eravur area would benefit around 80,000 people.

¶ 06 The Ayurvedic hospital in Eravur is about 22 years old and provides services to the public. In 2024, around 17,000 outpatients were treated. Yet the hospital remains in a worrying state: there is no generator; no equipment for IR light therapy; no bathing heaters; and no vehicle facility. The OPD area is flooded, preventing proper service to the public. I request that these facilities be provided.

¶ 07 Next, I wish to extend, on behalf of the entire nation, our heartfelt thanks in this august Assembly to the Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Hospital located in Kiran, Batticaloa, which contributes to the improvement of health services and works charitably.