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- 5 February 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa JJB AI summary Asked how much financial assistance an ordinary person receives from the President’s Fund for heart surgery, contrasting it with a payment of Rs. 1 million received by the addressee. The intervention sought clarification on the level of support provided to the general public under the Fund. Adjournment Debate: Monaragala Health Sector Issues Read →
- 5 February 2025 The Hon. Ruwan Wijeweera JJB AI summary Ruwan Wijeweera responded to a reference to his name, stating that the former Government had taken action in relation to the incident where 17 patients lost their sight. He said full compensation was paid and that steps were taken to restore and strengthen the National Medicines Regulatory Authority. Adjournment Debate: Monaragala Health Sector Issues Read →
- 5 February 2025 The Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara, Attorney-at-Law SJB AI summary Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara criticized the Government and Opposition for discussing problems in hospital services without presenting a concrete plan to address overcrowded OPDs, staffing shortages, equipment issues, and standards in private OPDs. He demanded disclosure of President’s Fund payments to Members of Parliament from 2004 onward, stating that his request to the Presidential Secretariat had not been fulfilled and that he had filed an appeal. He also began raising concerns about pharmaceutical supply and regulatory coordination, referring to the need for the Medical Supplies Division, NMRA, State Pharmaceuticals Corporation, and State Pharmaceuticals Manufacturing Corporation to work together. Adjournment Debate: Monaragala Health Sector Issues Read →
- 5 February 2025 Hon. (Dr.) Hansaka Wijeyamuni JJB AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Hansaka Wijeyamuni outlined measures to strengthen the health sector, including upgrading apex hospitals, addressing shortages of staff and physical resources, and improving opportunities for professional development. He said the Ministry is taking steps to prevent medicine shortages by expediting procurement, initiating 2026 tender processes early, and strengthening institutions such as the NMRA, SPC and SPMC. He also referred to the establishment of the NMRA National Advisory Council and Appeals Committee, activation of medicine pricing mechanisms, and restarting public health programmes such as avoidable blindness prevention that had been halted. He said the Government is working to standardize clinical protocols, improve hospital services, and prevent recurrence of past pharmaceutical procurement issues, including those linked to human immunoglobulin. Adjournment Debate: Monaragala Health Sector Issues Read →
- 5 February 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Hansaka Wijemuni - Deputy Minister of Health and Mass Media JJB AI summary Deputy Minister Hansaka Wijemuni seconded the Adjournment Motion on health services, noting Monaragala’s poor health indicators and the Government’s objective of ensuring equal access to healthcare. He outlined the need to improve treatment services through efficiency, safety, timeliness, fairness and transparency, while also recognising neglected areas such as palliative care. He stated that amendments may be needed to strengthen regulation of private healthcare and said the Government intends to reform treatment services by building a stronger primary care system based on a family doctor model. Adjournment Debate: Monaragala Health Sector Issues Read →
- 5 February 2025 The Hon. Ruwan Wijeweera JJB AI summary Ruwan Wijeweera moved a motion urging a formal action plan under a National Health Policy to address congestion, facilities, service quality, staffing, equipment, and standards in OPD services in State and private hospitals. He linked current health-sector problems to past governance failures, citing staff shortages, professional emigration, substandard medicines, and the Nuwara Eliya eye surgery cases, and said the Government would compensate the 17 affected patients. He also referred to measures including expanding access to the President’s Fund through Divisional Secretariats, providing special allowances for additional surgeries beyond duty hours, and strengthening the National Medicines Regulatory Authority under Act No. 5 of 2015 to ensure quality medicines. Adjournment Debate: Monaragala Health Sector Issues Read →
- 5 February 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa JJB AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa tabled an answer regarding the Technical Committee on Management of Dead Bodies Infected with COVID-19. He stated that no specified statement had been made, and that the Committee gave recommendations based on the virus variant, international practice, and WHO guidance, within powers vested under Gazette Extraordinary No. 2170/8 of 11 April 2020 under the Quarantine and Prevention of Diseases Ordinance. The answer identified the Secretary to the Ministry of Health as the relevant authority, provided the Committee’s membership in an annex, and outlined its chairing arrangements, meeting frequency, venue, and last meeting date of 2 February 2021. Oral Question: COVID-19 Health Guidelines (Q.249/2024) Read →
- 5 February 2025 The Hon. Gayantha Karunathilleka (on behalf of the Hon. Rauff Hakeem) SJB AI summary Asked the Minister of Health and Mass Media whether the Ministry accepted that it had been misled by an “Expert Committee” in deciding on the cremation policy for COVID-19 deaths, as stated by the State Minister of Indigenous Medicine on 29 November 2022. The question sought confirmation of whether the committee was government-appointed and requested details of its recommendations, appointing authority, mandate, membership, chairperson, meeting schedule, venues, and presiding officials, or reasons if such information was not available. Oral Question: COVID-19 Health Guidelines (Q.249/2024) Read →
- 5 February 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya JJB AI summary Several measures have been taken to address the matter, and the situation is currently being managed. However, Dr. Amarasuriya emphasized that it remains changeable and requires close monitoring, noting that the issue is receiving significant attention. Oral Question: Export Growth and Economic Competitiveness (Q.292/2024) Read →
- 23 January 2025 The Hon. M.A.M. Thahir ACMC AI summary Hon. M.A.M. Thahir, speaking during the debate on regulations under the Imports and Exports (Control) Act, said flood-related releases from Senanayake Samudraya had damaged more than 25 percent of paddy cultivation in Ampara District, which supplies a significant share of national rice, and warned this could increase the need for rice imports. He requested coordinated planning by the Government Agent and Irrigation Engineers to maintain protective bunds and manage reservoir levels proactively, along with relief for affected farmers. He also called for a fair inquiry into the transfer of senior nursing officer Umar Ali from Nintavur Base Hospital, and urged that any restrictions on imported vehicle beautification items be implemented without unfairly harming legitimate traders. Debate: Regulations under Imports and Exports (Control) Act and Related Economic Measures Read →
- 23 January 2025 The Hon. Nalinda Jayatissa JJB AI summary Nalinda Jayatissa stated that an earlier Cabinet decision, made despite expert epidemiological advice and without sufficient scientific basis, was wrong and was later reversed by a properly constituted committee. He said evolving WHO guidance allowed country-specific adaptations, and that Sri Lanka should continue to acknowledge and express regret for the decision. Oral Question: Disposal of the Dead Due to COVID-19 During 2019–2022 Read →
- 23 January 2025 The Hon. Rauff Hakeem, Attorney-at-Law SJB AI summary Hon. Rauff Hakeem welcomed action against officials who deliberately acted during the COVID-19 period but recalled that Muslim burials were permitted only after major protests. He argued that the cremation-only policy was unscientific and hostile, citing WHO guidance and medical views that the virus would not spread through groundwater or survive after death. He specifically questioned what action would be taken against Prof. Meththika Vithanage for her claims regarding groundwater contamination and burial policy. Oral Question: Disposal of the Dead Due to COVID-19 During 2019–2022 Read →
- 23 January 2025 The Hon. Nalinda Jayatissa JJB AI summary Nalinda Jayatissa said past political decisions in the health sector caused hardship to the public and pressure on officials, citing the closure of the Atulugama maternity clinic and its later restoration after opposition. He expressed regret over pandemic-era decisions influenced by religion, noting the government is now addressing such issues, and said legal action would be taken where deliberate wrongdoing is identified. Oral Question: Disposal of the Dead Due to COVID-19 During 2019–2022 Read →
- 23 January 2025 The Hon. Nalinda Jayatissa JJB AI summary Hon. Nalinda Jayatissa stated that COVID-19 death data were collected by the Health Ministry’s Epidemiology Unit for pandemic control purposes and were not disaggregated by ethnicity or religion, except for religion-wise data on burials. He said the Technical Committee on Management of Cremation of Bodies of Persons Who Died of COVID-19 recommended cremation within 24 hours and later burial in designated isolated locations, with Oddamavadi cemetery selected for burials. He reported 13,183 cremations and 3,634 burials from 5 March 2021, giving sex-wise totals and religion-wise burial figures, and noted that further breakdowns by age, province, district, ethnicity, or religion for cremations were not available. Oral Question: Disposal of the Dead Due to COVID-19 During 2019–2022 Read →
- 23 January 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayathissa JJB AI summary In response to a parliamentary question, Dr. Nalinda Jayathissa provided official COVID-19 statistics up to 31 December 2022, stating that Sri Lanka recorded 671,893 laboratory-confirmed cases and 16,817 confirmed deaths. He gave the death breakdown by age, sex and province, noting the highest deaths among those aged 70–80, more male than female deaths, and the largest provincial total in the Western Province. He also cited selected district figures and said full district-wise, ethnicity and religion breakdowns are maintained by the Epidemiology Unit and can be provided. Oral Question: Disposal of the Dead Due to COVID-19 During 2019–2022 Read →
- 23 January 2025 The Hon. Rauff Hakeem, Attorney-at-Law SJB AI summary Hon. Rauff Hakeem asked the Minister of Health and Mass Media to provide detailed COVID-19 statistics for 2019–2022, including laboratory-confirmed cases, confirmed deaths, and demographic breakdowns by age, sex, residence, ethnicity and religion. He also requested data on the disposal of COVID-19 dead bodies, including numbers cremated and buried and corresponding demographic and geographic breakdowns, and asked for reasons if such information cannot be provided. Oral Question: Disposal of the Dead Due to COVID-19 During 2019–2022 Read →
- 23 January 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayathissa JJB AI summary Dr. Nalinda Jayathissa said rising outpatient demand in State hospitals cannot be addressed by expanding buildings alone, noting very high annual OPD visits despite Sri Lanka’s population size. He stated that the Ministry’s priority is primary healthcare reform, including adequately staffed and equipped units within about 2.5 kilometres of residents, with a pilot planned in two districts this year before wider rollout. He highlighted the need to train and appropriately deploy medical officers, family medicine specialists, and community health specialists to support screening and treatment close to home. Oral Question: Family Medicine Specialist Training Stream Read →
- 23 January 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Nishantha Samaraweera JJB AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Nishantha Samaraweera urged the urgent establishment and strengthening of primary healthcare, arguing that it would help address many public health issues. He emphasized the role of family physicians and asked the Government to state what measures are being taken to develop primary healthcare. Oral Question: Family Medicine Specialist Training Stream Read →
- 23 January 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayathissa - Minister of Health and Mass Media and Chief Government Whip JJB AI summary The Minister stated that the question on establishing Family Medicine as a specialist training stream and appointing such specialists to hospitals cannot be answered at present due to ongoing litigation on specialist placements. He said a response would be provided after the court proceedings conclude. Oral Question: Family Medicine Specialist Training Stream Read →
- 22 January 2025 The Hon. Rishad Bathiudeen SJB AI summary Hon. Rishad Bathiudeen urged the Government to clearly explain the Clean Sri Lanka programme and to use its mandate to implement substantive reforms rather than engage in political blame. He called for attention to India-Sri Lanka connectivity, including the previously discussed bridge project, and argued it could support tourism and development in the North and East. He also raised several local concerns, including incomplete housing projects in Vavuniya, Mannar and Mullaitivu, resettlement support for Muslims expelled from Jaffna, development of Puttalam Hospital, waste dumping in Vavuniya, alleged discriminatory conduct by a public officer in Mundal–Kalpitiya, and protests against new liquor stores. Adjournment Debate: Clean Sri Lanka Programme (Postponed from 2025-01-21) Read →