News
Health Minister observes inequitable distribution of resources among hospitals
Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella has requested the Secretary to the Ministry to submit an evaluation report on the distribution of medical equipment and human resources among government hospitals, Parliament sources said yesterday.
There was an excess of doctors in some hospitals and there was a shortage of doctors in some rural hospitals, the Minister said at the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Health.
The government was taking over the Base Hospitals to improve the quality of health care, the Minister said, adding that the takeover of subjects under the Provincial Councils by the government was problematic owing to the 13th Amendment.
The Health Minister said that it was appropriate to investigate and submit a report to the Cabinet in that regard.
SLPP Hambantota District MP Dr. Upul Galappaththi pointed out the need to follow a common policy in increasing salaries as there had been a wave of strikes in the health sector.
The Committee paid special attention to the fact that a large number of drugs had been imported during the last few years.
State Minister Prof. Channa Jayasumana pointed out that excess of drugs had been imported into the country in some years. He said a national information system as regards drugs would be launched and all hospitals in the country connected to it.
SLPP Galle District MP Geetha Kumarasinghe said there were many shortcomings in the Elpitiya Base Hospital and action should be taken to rectify them.
Although the Polonnaruwa Kidney Hospital had been opened, it was not fully functional due to a shortage of staff, the Committee observed.
Colombo District SLPP MP Madhura Withanage also raised an issue regarding the non-inclusion of the information about certain vaccinated persons in the active database.
The Secretary to the Ministry of Health informed the Committee that steps would be taken to resolve that situation expeditiously.
The number of calls received by the 1990 Suwa Sariya Ambulance Service as of midnight yesterday was forty-six million thirty-three thousand, said Colombo District SJB MP Dr. Harsha de Silva. He pointed out that Rs. 1,800 million had been allocated for the service for the year 2022, but the amount was not enough.
The Minister of Health informed the Committee that discussions were underway with the relevant parties to increase the amount by at least another Rs. 1,200 million as requested by MP Dr. de Silva.
It was also revealed at the meeting that 719 Ayurveda medical graduates remained unemployed.
State Minister Sisira Jayakody said that there was a plan to open Ayurveda dispensaries locally and give them appointments.
More than 20 Ministers, State Ministers and Members of Parliament were present at the Committee meeting. A number of officials representing the health sector attended the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Health.
A group of Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) members, including its Leader Mano Ganesan, met President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Thursday (02) morning at the Presidential Secretariat.
Extensive discussions were held on the issues faced by the Malayagam communities, particularly in relation to education, housing and land, as well as on the urgent measures required to address these concerns. The President paid special attention to all these matters.
Attention was also drawn to the recruitment of qualified Tamil-medium teachers to address the teacher shortage in estate sector schools and this too was discussed at length.
Members of Parliament P. Digambaram and V. Radhakrishnan, along with several other party members, were present at the meeting.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vijitha Herath, held talks with Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Andrey Rudenko at the Foreign Ministry, in Colombo, on Thursday (02), with both sides reaffirming their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations.
The Sri Lanka Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the visiting Russian Deputy Minister noted that Russia regarded Sri Lanka as a long-standing friend.
Rudenko assured that Russia stood ready to support Sri Lanka when required, including in the swift supply of Russian oil to help address the current energy challenges, encouraging Russian investors to explore new opportunities in the country and promoting increased tourist arrivals.
He also expressed Russia’s readiness to provide compensation for Sri Lankan war veterans who had lost their lives in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Minister Herath welcomed Russia’s willingness to assist, emphasising that Sri Lanka valued the support extended by its “old friend”, particularly at a time when the country was facing pressing energy needs.
He noted that the two countries shared nearly seven decades of diplomatic relations and said the present moment provided an opportunity to further strengthen ties, including through long-term trade agreements.
The discussions focused on enhancing cooperation in the fields of energy, investment, tourism and diplomacy, with both sides reiterating their commitment to further deepen the longstanding friendship between Sri Lanka and Russia.
Police yesterday arrested 157 foreign nationals in connection with an alleged organised online financial scam, conducted from a hotel in the Iranawila area in Chilaw.
The suspects were taken into custody during a raid carried out by the Police while they were staying at the hotel in Iranawila.
Police said the arrested group included 143 nationals from China, 13 from Bangladesh and one from Vietnam.
Investigators suspect the group had been involved in a coordinated online financial scam, targeting victims through digital platforms.
The suspects are being detained for further questioning while investigations are continuing to determine the full extent of the operation and whether additional individuals were involved.Police said further inquiries are underway.
By Norman Palihawadane
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