Topic
Healthcare
895 speeches · 200 speakers
Party share
By the speaker's party · counts only, no scoring. "Unattributed" = speeches not resolved to an MP.
Most active on this topic
| # | Member | Speeches |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa, M.P. JJB | 185 |
| 2 | Hon. (Dr.) Hansaka Wijemuni, M.P. JJB | 62 |
| 3 | Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna, M.P. Independent Group 17 - Jaffna | 50 |
| 4 | Hon. Sajith Premadasa, M.P. SJB | 25 |
| 5 | Hon. (Dr.) Nishantha Samaraweera, M.P. JJB | 18 |
| 6 | Hon. Thurairasa Ravikaran, M.P. ITAK | 17 |
| 7 | Hon. (Mrs.) Chamindranee Kiriella, Attorney at Law, M.P. SJB | 17 |
| 8 | Hon. (Dr.) Kavinda Heshan Jayawardhana, M.P. SJB | 14 |
| 9 | Hon. Gayantha Karunathilleka, M.P. SJB | 13 |
| 10 | Hon. (Mrs.) Rohini Kumari Wijerathna, M.P. SJB | 13 |
Speeches
895 on this topic- 8 March 2025 The Hon. (Mrs.) Chamindranee Kiriella, Attorney-at-Law SJB AI summary Hon. Chamindranee Kiriella marked International Women’s Day by acknowledging women’s historical contributions and then raised concerns about whether women and children receive adequate support under the Ministry’s Votes. She questioned whether the Rs. 100 per-meal allocation for preschool breakfasts is sufficient given malnutrition among under-five children, while welcoming continued programmes for pregnant mothers, preschool teachers, children with neurodevelopmental disorders, and sanitary pads for schoolgirls. She urged that menstrual hygiene support be extended to overcrowded women’s prisons, called for legal reforms to increase women’s representation in elected bodies, and highlighted low female labour force participation and maternity leave policy as issues affecting women’s economic participation. Appropriation Bill, 2025 - Committee Stage: Ministry of Women and Child Affairs Read →
- 8 March 2025 The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB AI summary On International Women’s Day, Sajith Premadasa highlighted the impact of food inflation, poverty and malnutrition on women and children, citing the Ninth Parliament’s Special Committee report on malnutrition and calling for a coordinated, depoliticized national plan. He referred to UNDP and UN Women findings on women’s vulnerability, workplace discrimination, low labour force participation, digital access gaps, underrepresentation in senior positions and STEM, and high levels of underreported violence against women and girls. He urged stronger implementation of international conventions and domestic protections, and proposed amending the Constitution’s Fundamental Rights Chapter to explicitly include women’s and children’s rights. Appropriation Bill, 2025 - Committee Stage: Ministry of Women and Child Affairs Read →
- 8 March 2025 Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa - Minister of Health and Mass Media JJB AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa stated that all government hospitals, whether centrally or provincially administered, fall within the scope of government intervention. He acknowledged staffing and facility shortages, noting they are more severe in the North and East, and said discussions are underway with the Governor and central and provincial officials to fill vacancies and implement a development plan. He invited the concerned member to participate in those discussions. Oral Question: Mutur and Kinniya Hospitals: Physical Resources and Staff (Q.428/2025) Read →
- 8 March 2025 The Hon. Imran Maharoof SJB AI summary Hon. Imran Maharoof raised concerns about inadequate space and facilities at Kinniya Hospital, noting that a new site has been identified for construction and urging urgent action. He asked for an assurance that shortcomings, including the absence of separate units such as a Dental Unit despite high patient demand, would be addressed during the Minister’s tenure. Oral Question: Mutur and Kinniya Hospitals: Physical Resources and Staff (Q.428/2025) Read →
- 8 March 2025 Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa - Minister of Health and Mass Media JJB AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa stated that there is no issue concerning the officer-in-charge at Kinniya. He clarified that the relevant vacancy is at Mutur and said it will be filled expeditiously. Oral Question: Mutur and Kinniya Hospitals: Physical Resources and Staff (Q.428/2025) Read →
- 8 March 2025 The Hon. Imran Maharoof SJB AI summary Hon. Imran Maharoof highlighted that over 100,000 people rely on the Kinniya and Mutur hospitals and questioned whether the Provincial Council can adequately maintain them. He suggested that bringing the hospitals under the Central Government would make maintenance easier, and asked for the prompt appointment of a Medical Superintendent to fill the vacancy at Mutur hospital. Oral Question: Mutur and Kinniya Hospitals: Physical Resources and Staff (Q.428/2025) Read →
- 8 March 2025 Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa - Minister of Health and Mass Media JJB AI summary The Minister provided answers regarding resource and staffing shortages at Mutur and Kinniya Base Hospitals, noting that both have approved cadre vacancies but continue to maintain patient services with existing medical, nursing, and other staff. He said physical resource improvements would be addressed through Provincial Development Provisions according to prioritized needs, and future recruitment would fill vacancies based on provincial service needs, including additional nursing officers. He stated that the hospitals cannot be taken over by the Central Government because, under the Thirteenth Amendment, secondary-care base hospitals fall under Provincial Councils unless they are teaching or special-function hospitals. Oral Question: Mutur and Kinniya Hospitals: Physical Resources and Staff (Q.428/2025) Read →
- 8 March 2025 The Hon. Imran Maharoof SJB AI summary Hon. Imran Maharoof asked the Minister of Health and Mass Media whether Mutur and Kinniya Hospitals, despite being designated Grade “A”, lack the required physical resources and adequate staffing. He requested details on planned measures to provide those resources, the number of consultant doctors at each hospital, steps to fill vacancies, and the reasons the hospitals have not been taken over by the Central Government. Oral Question: Mutur and Kinniya Hospitals: Physical Resources and Staff (Q.428/2025) Read →
- 8 March 2025 MUTUR AND KINNIYA HOSPITALS: PHYSICAL RESOURCES AND STAFF AI summary Question No. 428/2025 sought information on the physical resources and staffing of Mutur and Kinniya hospitals. The speech raised a parliamentary query regarding the adequacy of facilities, personnel, and related health service capacity at these hospitals, requesting official details from the relevant ministry. Oral Question: Mutur and Kinniya Hospitals: Physical Resources and Staff (Q.428/2025) Read →
- 7 March 2025 The Hon. D.V. Chanaka SLPP AI summary Hon. D.V. Chanaka said that action against Hon. Keheliya Rambukwella occurred under the previous Government, noting that he was impeached and remanded then. He questioned the decision to raise the chromium limit for hydrated lime to 12 mg/kg, arguing that repeated test failures, including foreign tests, and inconsistent laboratory results required standardisation, supplier blacklisting where appropriate, and a thorough investigation. He warned that chromium is carcinogenic and said public safety in water treatment must be safeguarded, while also asking why ministerial and chairman statements differed. Debate: Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage (Heads 117, 123, 306, 307, 309-311, 332, 336) Read →
- 7 March 2025 The Hon. Anura Karunathilaka JJB AI summary Hon. Anura Karunathilaka stated that the National Water Supply and Drainage Board is not using the hydrated lime stock that failed quality requirements and that the request to raise permissible limits predated the current administration. He said tenders include specified quality parameters, stocks are tested both on receipt and before use, and non-compliant supplies are rejected and must be replaced by suppliers. He assured Parliament that only SLS-compliant hydrated lime is used for water purification. Debate: Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage (Heads 117, 123, 306, 307, 309-311, 332, 336) Read →
- 7 March 2025 The Hon. D.V. Chanaka SLPP AI summary Hon. D.V. Chanaka raised concerns about imported hydrated lime used in drinking water treatment, alleging that recent consignments exceeded the chromium limit and questioning changes to the Sri Lanka Standards specification from 10 mg/kg to 12 mg/kg. He challenged inconsistencies between the Minister’s and NWSDB Chairman’s statements on when the standard was amended, disputed claims about higher international limits, and argued that global drinking water standards have generally tightened due to health risks. He asked why failed stocks remain in stores, whether a new tender with relaxed specifications could permit the same supplier to use them, and called for a transparent investigation, standardized testing, and action against unreliable suppliers or laboratories. Debate: Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage (Heads 117, 123, 306, 307, 309-311, 332, 336) Read →
- 7 March 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Hansaka Wijemuni - Deputy Minister of Health and Mass Media JJB AI summary Heavy rains in November 2024 caused temporary flooding near Quarter No. 08 of Puttalam Base Hospital, with the water receding within two days. The Deputy Minister stated that the hospital has an existing wastewater drainage system but requires improvements, and that the National Water Supply and Drainage Board has prepared an estimate for upgrading the soakage system. Funding for the work is to be provided under the 2025 Provincial Specific Development Grants. Oral Question: Base Hospital, Puttalam: Drainage System (Q.292/2024) Read →
- 7 March 2025 The Hon. Gayantha Karunathilleka (on behalf of the Hon. Rauff Hakeem) SJB AI summary Asked the Minister of Health and Mass Media whether he accepts that the Puttalam Base Hospital, including wards, OPDs and clinics, was flooded during heavy rains in November 2024 due to the absence of a proper drainage system. He further sought details of the steps to ensure the safety of hospital premises for patients, or reasons if the Ministry does not accept the premise. Oral Question: Base Hospital, Puttalam: Drainage System (Q.292/2024) Read →
- 7 March 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Hansaka Wijemuni - Deputy Minister of Health and Mass Media JJB AI summary The Deputy Minister stated that private medical centres and hospitals are required to register with the Health Ministry and comply with provisions on medicine management. He said registration had lagged due to factors including trade union pressure, making regulation more difficult, but that registrations have recently increased and guidelines are being followed more. He acknowledged the need for stronger regulation of private healthcare institutions and said the Ministry is working toward it. Oral Question: Shortage of Pharmacists and External Pharmacist Examination (Q.492/2025) Read →
- 7 March 2025 The Hon. Dewananda Suraweera JJB AI summary Hon. Dewananda Suraweera raised a second supplementary question alleging that some doctors stock and sell medicines directly to patients, which he described as irregular. He asked whether an existing body regulates this practice or whether the Government intends to establish one. Oral Question: Shortage of Pharmacists and External Pharmacist Examination (Q.492/2025) Read →
- 7 March 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Hansaka Wijemuni - Deputy Minister of Health and Mass Media JJB AI summary The Deputy Minister stated that while proposed measures can be reviewed, the Government maintains that enforceable laws are necessary. Oral Question: Shortage of Pharmacists and External Pharmacist Examination (Q.492/2025) Read →
- 7 March 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Hansaka Wijemuni - Deputy Minister of Health and Mass Media JJB AI summary Medicines are regulated according to risk, with over-the-counter drugs available without prescription, prescription medicines requiring a registered medical practitioner’s authorization, and narcotics subject to special prescription and storage controls. The Deputy Minister said these safeguards are necessary to protect the public, while noting that concerns about proportionality could be considered. Oral Question: Shortage of Pharmacists and External Pharmacist Examination (Q.492/2025) Read →
- 7 March 2025 The Hon. Dewananda Suraweera JJB AI summary Hon. Dewananda Suraweera raised concerns about penalties under the NMRA Act for pharmacists dispensing medicines without prescriptions, noting that the public commonly seeks chronic medications such as metformin, atorvastatin and losartan without prescriptions. He asked whether heavy court fines and the requirement to publish a multilingual newspaper notice admitting guilt are proportionate, and whether the advertisement requirement can be removed. Oral Question: Shortage of Pharmacists and External Pharmacist Examination (Q.492/2025) Read →
- 7 March 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Hansaka Wijemuni - Deputy Minister of Health and Mass Media JJB AI summary As a reply on behalf of the Minister of Health and Mass Media, the Deputy Minister stated that Sri Lanka has 5,200 registered pharmacies and 8,521 registered pharmacists across the public and private sectors. He explained that Section 120 of the National Medicines Regulatory Authority Act requires each pharmacy to have a qualified responsible pharmacist and that about 200 pharmacy licence renewals are on hold because some applicants are employed elsewhere and cannot serve full-time. He said a committee was appointed on 10 January 2025 to address private sector pharmacist shortages, and noted that about 100 of 1,487 candidates passed all components of the 2023 External Pharmacist Examination, a pass rate of around 6.7 per cent. Oral Question: Shortage of Pharmacists and External Pharmacist Examination (Q.492/2025) Read →