News
Opp. requests friendly countries for 300-bed Mobile Hospital with ICU facilities
The Opposition in a discussion with diplomats requested that Sri Lanka be provided with a field hospital with 300 ICU beds.
MP Eran Wickramaratne told the media yesterday at the office of the Opposition Leader that the capacity of the State Health Sector logistical services to handle the surge of COVID -19 positive cases was in danger of imminent collapse.
Wickramaratune said Sri Lanka had only around 700 ICU beds and many international organisations and friendly countries had field hospitals with ICU facilities which could be set up in a matter of hours.
The International organisations such as UNICEF and the IOM had those facilities, and therefore the Opposition in Parliament had decided to make the request for a mobile hospital for the sake of the people of the country devoid of political gain, the MP said.
He said that he had called upon the government a month ago in Parliament to import Covid vaccines. But it had not heeded the Opposition’s requests to procure vaccines needed for 15 million people.
He alleged that the government’s action to face the Covid pandemic was very slow.
Wickramaratne said that it was reported that at the Kahawatta hospital a patient had died due to lack of oxygen, but it needed to be verified.
“We have a huge problem on our hand due to rapid spread of Covid virus. The situation in India is alarming.
“The vaccination process would cost the State about Rs 15 billion. But the loss of revenue due to the sugar tax racket was Rs 15.9 billion. It is not rocket science but the whole world is asking to be vaccinated. The number of positive cases is escalating daily and the actual number could be more than the official number. Sri Lanka is on the Red light zone on this issue now.”
The Ministry of Industries and Entrepreneurship Development has recommended the establishment of Sri Lankan Standards, i.e. the import testing methodology for imported tires used for passenger cars and pneumatic tires for three-wheelers with the aim of ensuring a fair competitive environment for local
manufactures and ensuring consumer safety and security.
Taking into the said recommendations, “Import and Export (control regulations N0.08 of the 2026)” has been enacted to amend the existing regulations by means of the Extraordinary Gazette Notification No. 2508/27 dated 2026-10-01, prescribing Sri Lanka standard 1212 for the import of passenger types (HS Code 4011.10.90) and Sri Lanka standard 1347 for the import of
pneumatic tires for three – wheeled vehicles (HS Code 4011.90.10).
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development to submit the aforementioned regulations to Parliament for approval.
Approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted at their meeting held on 02.06.2025 to introduce a new act to promote and providing legal provisions for facilitating the Public Private Joint Enterprises within Sri Lanka as well as the establishment of the National Agency for Public Private Partnership Joint Enterprises.
Accordingly, the Legal Draftsman has formulated the relevant draft bill and the Attorney General has given his clearance to the said draft bill.
The Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to publish the said
draft bill in the government gazette notification and thereby submit it to the Parliament for its concurrence.
Regulation, development and control of indigenous medical sector in Sri Lanka comprised of Ayurvedha, Sidhdha, Unani, Local Therapies are carried out under the provisions of Ayurvedha Act No. 31 of 1961.
Although amendments were made to the act from time to time as per the requirements, the necessity of further amending the Ayurvedha Act has been identified to enable efficiently maintaining all activities of local medical field productively, further formalizing the regulation of the sector, taking actions to providing licenses applicable to export of local medicines, and achieving the progress and sustainable development goals in the local medical sector.
Based on the said factors, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Health and Mass Media to direct the Legal Draftsman to formulate a draft bill to amend the Ayurvedha Act No. 31 of 1961.
Import and Export (Control) Regulations No. 08 of 2026
Draft Bill of the Public Private Partnership Enterprises Act to be gazzetted
Amendment of the Ayurvedha Act No. 31 of 1961
Cabinet nod to amend the Sri Lanka Development Administration Institute Act No. 9 of 1982
Establishment of the National Higher Performance Centre
State patronage for the cremation ceremony of the late deputy prelate (Anu Nayaka Thero) of the Sri Laka Ramangya Maha Nikaya, Gatambe Rajopawanramadhipatha, Siri Chandawimala Wanshalankara, Chandrakeerthi Sri Amarawansha, Sadhdharmawageeshwara, Shasanashobhanna Most Venerable Keppetiyagoda Siriwimalabhidhana Thero
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