Building a healthy nation Govt's aim - President

Rohan MATHES

COLOMBO: President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday asserted that while wiping out terrorism to establish true democracy countrywide, his Government, as envisioned in his Mahinda Chintana, would strive to develop the health sector to build a healthy nation.

President Rajapaksa was speaking at Temple Trees, participating in a function in which 1,200 Trainee Supplementary Medical Professionals were handed over their appointment letters, in an integrated programme of recruiting 5,000 for the same service within the next two years.

He said: "Any individual, irrespective of his/her social standing or achievements, becomes vulnerable and helpless at a time of acute illness.

We as a responsible Government should ensure that our health sector is capable and willing to cure the patient. Otherwise we will be committing a grave crime. The patient should be given the highest priority and optimum care".

President Rajapaksa said that although there is a tendency to seek treatment at private hospitals expecting a better service, he himself had more faith in the State hospitals and therefore entered the Colombo National Hospital for treatment.

President Rajapaksa added he was happy that personnel from the three Armed Forces and the Police, were also being trained under the programme. Health and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said there had been an acute deficiency of skilled and trained personnel in that particular sector.

However, under the 'Mahinda Chintanaya', the health sector has been allocated the highest ever funds during the post independence era of the country which had enabled them to implement the programme of recruiting 5,000 persons.

Minister de Silva also said the Australian Government had extended an invitation to him to visit the State of Victoria in Australia in February, to discuss the modalities on the provision of a new Accident Service for the Karapitiya Hospital at a cost of US $ 4.2 million.