Money allocated to remedy shortcomings not utilized:
Funds for health sector sent back to Treasury
Gayan Rajapaksa and Hidogama Group Corr
Funds amounting to several million rupees allocated for the uplift of
health services in the Polonnaruwa district in 2011 through the North
Central Provincial Council had been sent back to the Treasury without
being used.
This is a very sad state of affairs, said Health Minister Maithripala
Sirisena.
He was addressing a progress review meeting convened by Provincial
Health Minister H B Semasinghe at the Polonnaruwa Provincial Health
Services office auditorium recently.
Minister Sirisena said steps should be taken to ensure that such a
thing would not happen this year.
“As Health Minister, I am allocating funds to remedy shortcomings in
the country’s health sector. But if the required development activities
are not implemented, people will have a bad impression on me thinking I
am not allocating funds. If the Provincial Council declined to perform
the work when funds are allocated, all work can be undertaken by the
line Ministry.
If funds allocated for development are not used properly, it is a
grave crime perpetrated on the people. I sincerely hope that H B
Semasinghe as the new Provincial Health Minister will look into all
these shortcomings and do a good job.
Several doctors who attended the meeting requested Minister Sirisena
to provide facilities for training pharmacists and take steps to remedy
shortcomings in hospitals in the district.
Minister Sirisena said steps would be taken to fill all vacancies in
the NCP health sector next year and provide new motorcycles to PHIs and
other health officers.
Provincial Health Minister H B Semasinghe, Provincial Ministry
Secretary Chandra Chandradasa and other officials were also present.
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