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- 18 February 2025 The Hon. Thurairasa Ravikaran ITAK AI summary Hon. Thurairasa Ravikaran called for an immediate halt to proposed ilmenite mining-related field activities on Mannar Island, citing public opposition, flood vulnerability, private land concerns, and potential law-and-order issues, and urged the Central Environmental Authority and other agencies to stop the planned field visit. He thanked the President for Budget funding to reconstruct the Vattuvagal bridge in Mullaitivu, while stating that further needs remain. He requested urgent health-sector upgrades in Mullaitivu, including staff housing, ambulances and vehicles, cadre review, filling vacancies, and appointment of specialists so the District General Hospital can be recognized for post-intern in-service doctor training. Adjourned Debate on Second Reading of the 2025 Budget Read →
- 18 February 2025 The Hon. (Mrs.) Hasara Liyanage, Attorney-at-Law JJB AI summary Hon. Hasara Liyanage supported the NPP’s inaugural Budget, arguing it responds to the economic crisis inherited from previous governments and implements the “Prosperous Country – Beautiful Life” manifesto within current IMF constraints. She highlighted allocations for women’s empowerment and combating gender-based violence, support for marginalized children, and increased funding for health and education. She also cited reductions in Presidential expenditure, the removal of concessionary vehicle permits, and changes to public employment practices as evidence of fiscal discipline and reform, while inviting cross-party support for the Government’s rebuilding programme. Adjourned Debate on Second Reading of the 2025 Budget Read →
- 18 February 2025 The Hon. Dinindu Saman AI summary Hon. Dinindu Saman supported the Budget as the National People’s Power Government’s first “people’s Budget,” arguing that it allocates relief and development despite inheriting a bankrupt economy and liabilities such as SriLankan Airlines debt. He highlighted major allocations for health and education, including Rs. 604 billion for health, Rs. 619 billion for education, increased Mahapola and vocational training stipends, school infrastructure, nutrition, teacher development, sports schools, and support for poorer districts such as Badulla. He also said the Budget aims to eradicate poverty through education and economic strengthening of welfare-recipient families, provides a fair wage structure for public servants, and includes funds to address the human–elephant conflict. Adjourned Debate on Second Reading of the 2025 Budget Read →
- 18 February 2025 Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa - Minister of Health and Mass Media JJB AI summary The Minister of Health and Mass Media tabled a written answer regarding the development of health guidelines, including the composition of the Guidelines Development and Editorial Committee and its editorial support. The response stated that the Director-General of Health Services was responsible, that a relevant expert panel was appointed, and that the guidelines were developed by consensus using expert meetings, international practice, and WHO guidance, then published by the Ceylon College of Physicians and the Epidemiology Unit. The related annexes were placed in the Library. Oral Question No. 4 (247/2024): COVID-19 Clinical Practice Guidelines Read →
- 18 February 2025 Hon. Gayantha Karunathilleka (on behalf of Hon. Rauff Hakeem, Attorney-at-Law) SJB AI summary Hon. Gayantha Karunathilleka, on behalf of Hon. Rauff Hakeem, asked the Minister of Health and Mass Media about the publication “Provisional Clinical Practice Guidelines on COVID-19 Suspected and Confirmed Patients.” He sought details on the expert contributors, their affiliations, appointing authority, and selection criteria, and specifically requested information on Section 7, including who drafted it, the process and references used, and whether its recommendations were reviewed by experts in medical ethics and medical anthropology. Oral Question No. 4 (247/2024): COVID-19 Clinical Practice Guidelines Read →
- 17 February 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) V.S. Radhakrishnan SJB AI summary Hon. (Dr.) V.S. Radhakrishnan requested ministerial intervention to improve facilities at the Nuwara Eliya District General Hospital’s Gynaecology and Obstetrics ward, noting that there is only one toilet for 10 beds in an old building. He said patients had raised the issue with him and urged that it be addressed promptly, while acknowledging past shortcomings. Local Authorities Elections (Special Provisions) Bill: Second Reading Read →
- 17 February 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna Independent Group 17 - Jaffna AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna welcomed some Budget measures for Jaffna but said the Northern Province lacked specific health and development proposals, requesting intervention on unsafe hospital waste disposal in Aariyalai–Kombayan Manal and raising concerns about administration at Jaffna Teaching Hospital. He urged safer official transport for MPs after Hon. Ilankumar’s accident, more attention to doctors’ retention, compensation for those affected by the Teyitti Vihara issue, and action to protect northern fishermen from South Indian trawler incursions. He also asked for more time to submit DCC project proposals, urged that new viharas be built only on State land rather than public common lands, and called for Palaly Airport to be upgraded to international status. Local Authorities Elections (Special Provisions) Bill: Second Reading Read →
- 17 February 2025 Hon. Anura Kumara Dissanayake AI summary The speech outlines 2025 Budget proposals to expand health and education services, including health system digitalization, strengthening primary and estate-level health care, pandemic preparedness, and targeted services for children with neurodevelopmental disorders including autism. It proposes Rs. 200 million for a neurodevelopmental treatment centre at Lady Ridgeway Hospital, Rs. 250 million for a model inclusive day-care centre, and a wider five-year district-level rollout. In education, it notes allocations for school and university infrastructure, increases the preschool breakfast payment from Rs. 60 to Rs. 100, provides funds for early childhood centres, and proposes an additional Rs. 1,000 allowance for preschool teachers from June. Appropriation Bill, 2025: Second Reading - Debate Adjourned Read →
- 17 February 2025 Ministerial Consultative Committee on Health and Media AI summary The Ministerial Consultative Committee on Health and Media met on 17 February 2025 with the participation of the Minister and members from both sectors. The meeting was listed with attendance by several Members of Parliament, including medical professionals, but no specific debate points, proposals, questions, or decisions are provided in the supplied text. Parliamentary Structure and Committees Read →
- 7 February 2025 The Hon. Nalinda Jayatissa – Minister of Health and Mass Media and Chief Government Whip AI summary Nalinda Jayatissa supported the motion’s concern over the COVID-19 cremation policy, arguing that compulsory cremations were politically driven and lacked scientific basis. He said the policy caused serious suffering to Muslim families and others whose religious rites were denied, while acknowledging that health officials nevertheless worked to control the pandemic under difficult conditions. He stated that the current government would follow expert guidance, protect religious and national freedoms, and prevent similar incidents from recurring. Private Members' Motion 6: Select Committee to Investigate COVID-19 Cremation Decisions Read →
- 7 February 2025 The Hon. Mohamed Sali Naleem AI summary Urging support for the Private Member’s Motion to appoint a Special Parliamentary Committee on the forced cremation of COVID-19 victims, Mohamed Sali Naleem argued that the policy caused grave hardship to Muslims and others and should be formally investigated. He highlighted the role of Majma Nagar in Ottamavadi, where villagers provided 17 acres for COVID-19 burials, and requested compensation or alternative land for them, as well as the immediate establishment of a school for the area’s children. He also raised concerns about youths arrested during the Aragalaya protests, particularly in his district, and asked Parliament to ensure legal relief, rehabilitation programmes, and discharge from cases where appropriate. Private Members' Motion 6: Select Committee to Investigate COVID-19 Cremation Decisions Read →
- 7 February 2025 The Hon. M.K.M. Aslam JJB AI summary Hon. M.K.M. Aslam supported the Private Member’s Motion by Hon. Rauff Hakeem concerning the mandatory cremation of COVID-19 victims, stating that the policy caused grave injustice to Muslims and appeared politically motivated rather than scientifically based. He argued that past governments used ethnic and religious divisions for political gain and called for health, agricultural, and economic policies that would prevent such incidents from recurring. He urged opposition cooperation in implementing policies that protect all communities and ensure peaceful coexistence. Private Members' Motion 6: Select Committee to Investigate COVID-19 Cremation Decisions Read →
- 7 February 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Nihal Abeysinghe JJB AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Nihal Abeysinghe said the COVID-19 “cremation only” policy was not technically justified but resulted from political decision-making and anti-Muslim sentiment under the Gotabaya Rajapaksa Government. He cited the initial March 2020 clinical guidelines allowing burial or cremation in line with WHO guidance, followed by an April circular and Gazette mandating cremation, and argued that a later expert committee’s groundwater-contamination hypothesis helped entrench the policy. He also referred to broader COVID-19 management failures caused by political interference, and supported further inquiries into the matter. Private Members' Motion 6: Select Committee to Investigate COVID-19 Cremation Decisions Read →
- 7 February 2025 The Hon. Rauff Hakeem, Attorney-at-Law SJB AI summary Hon. Rauff Hakeem moved a resolution to appoint a Select Committee to investigate the State’s mandatory cremation policy for COVID-19 deaths in 2020 and recommend measures to ensure justice for affected families. He argued that the policy contradicted WHO, UNICEF, UNESCO, ICRC and local expert guidance permitting safe burial, denied next-of-kin religious rites and last respects, and disproportionately affected Muslims and other religious minorities. He cited UN Human Rights Council resolutions of 2021 and 2022 calling for investigation and protection of religious burial rights, and noted that burials were later permitted only after local and international pressure. Private Members' Motion 6: Select Committee to Investigate COVID-19 Cremation Decisions Read →
- 7 February 2025 The Hon. D. V. Chanaka SLPP AI summary D. V. Chanaka supported the Motion on reducing privileges and argued that Alliance MPs and Ministers should renounce salaries and fuel allowances if they claim to serve voluntarily, in line with electoral pledges to abolish perks. He again raised concerns over imported hydrated lime for drinking-water treatment, alleging chromium levels above permitted standards, inadequate segregation of stock, and repeated testing, and called for immediate segregation, re-export, compliant procurement or tested local sourcing. He also requested that any compensation for property damaged during the Aragalaya be accompanied by a list of perpetrators and that recovery be made from those responsible, rather than from taxpayers. Private Members' Motion 5: Abolishing the Pension Scheme of Members of Parliament Read →
- 7 February 2025 The Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara, Attorney-at-Law SJB AI summary Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara supported the motion, arguing that existing procedures for labour welfare in Sri Lankan missions are not being properly implemented and calling for stronger staffing, fairer promotion opportunities for junior managers, and labour or welfare sections in Japan, Romania, and Cyprus. He also urged urgent government action on SMEs facing bank seizures, CRIB-related restrictions, and lack of restart support following successive crises. He raised concerns about Sri Lankans drawn into the Russia-Ukraine conflict and requested Foreign Ministry intervention, and called for an investigation into reported high levels of hexavalent chromium in water supplies linked to public health risks. Private Members' Motion 4: Appointment of Labour Welfare Officers Read →
- 7 February 2025 The Hon. Anura Karunathilaka - Minister of Urban Development, Construction and Housing JJB AI summary Minister Anura Karunathilaka clarified allegations that the National Water Supply and Drainage Board was supplying drinking water contaminated with carcinogens, explaining that a hydrated lime consignment procured through tender had tested slightly above the then-applicable SLS chromium limit of 10 mg/kg. He stated that the consignment had not been accepted or used in any water treatment plant, despite later SLS revisions allowing up to 12 mg/kg, and that the contractor could be required to replace or re-export it under the tender conditions. He said the NWSDB would continue to ensure safe drinking water and criticized statements based on incomplete information that caused public concern. Ministerial Statements on Justice Department, Foreign Employment, and Hydrated Lime Importation Read →
- 7 February 2025 The Hon. Rauff Hakeem, Attorney-at-Law SJB AI summary Hon. Rauff Hakeem questioned the Government’s handling of the COVID-19 forced cremation policy and the later decision to bury victims in Oddamavadi, arguing that both were based on unscientific premises and affected the religious rights of Muslims and other minorities. Citing operative paragraphs of the 23 March 2021 UN Human Rights Council resolution on Sri Lanka, he asked why no inquiry or accountability process had been undertaken despite the resolution’s call for investigations. He also raised concern that officials involved in the disputed decisions had since been appointed to senior health positions. Oral Answers to Questions and Second Round Questions Read →
- 7 February 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Harshana Suriyapperuma - Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning AI summary The Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning rejected the premise that the Government had promised a 15 per cent rate for senior citizens, stating that the policy statement contained no such commitment. He said measures for senior citizens would be included in the forthcoming Budget, while noting that reductions in essential medicine prices already benefit them, and that related spread issues would be addressed. Oral Answers to Questions and Second Round Questions Read →
- 7 February 2025 The Hon. Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam ITAK AI summary Hon. Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam questioned delays in providing drinking water, arguing that interim pipeline interconnections are needed before the dry season rather than waiting for new tanks and capacity upgrades. He asked how many kilometres of pipeline are currently available and can be laid immediately, citing reports that pipes previously sent from Ambanthottai to Batticaloa were returned. He also raised concerns over imported hydrated lime used for water purification, asking whether reported chromium levels above permissible limits were accurate, whether the stock had been distributed, why testing was done privately, and whether drinking water was currently safe. Oral Answers to Questions and Second Round Questions Read →