Govt invests Rs. 410 Bn for free health services

Health and Industries Minister Dr. Ramesh Pathirana yesterday said that the Government has increased the long-term health investment to Rs. 410 billion in 2024 for the advancement of free health services, for the well-being of the people.

The Health Minister expressed these views participating as the chief guest at the appointment letter awarding ceremony of newly recruited pharmacists, public health laboratory technicians, eye technicians, school dental therapists, obstetricians and orthodontists at the study centre auditorium affiliated to the Postgraduate Institute of Medicine.

The Health Ministry has assigned these new appointees to Government hospitals and health institutions across the country.

The Health Minister said that although the health service in Sri Lanka has improved in terms of health indicators, there are many challenges to be faced at present. As stated by the World Health Organization, Sri Lanka is at the level of 67 percent as regards universal health coverage. It is also required that with the development of physical, infrastructure and human resources, the country can go further by meeting the existing deficiencies. It was pointed out that Japan’s universal health coverage has increased to 85 percent, and that primary healthcare and secondary treatment services in this country can be advanced by strengthening them.

Minister Dr. Pathirana said that there are 146,000 people working in the health sector in Sri Lanka, which includes 23,000 doctors, 42,000 nurses, 10,000 in other ancillary medical services and other services. This is second only to the education service and the defence service.

“If we consider the last century, the most important event that happened in the hundred years from 1923 to 2023 was the institution of free education by the late Education Minister Dr. C.W.W. Kannangara in 1945. As a result, the nation’s children have equitable access to primary, secondary and higher education,” he said.

Health Ministry Secretary Dr. Palitha Mahipala, Additional Secretaries of the Health Ministry Geethamani Karunaratne, Wathsala Priyadarshani and Sunil Galagama, Director General of Health Services Dr. Asela Gunawardena, Deputy Director Generals, Senior Assistant Secretaries and Directors were present.

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