Govt targets 7 to 8 pc economic growth

Nadira Gunatilleke

The Government hopes to achieve an economic growth rate of seven to eight per cent in the medium term. The Government’s way forward to achieve such growth is by adopting pro-poor and pro-growth strategies, Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka said.

“Sri Lanka’s achievements are considered rather exceptional for a country with a GNP per capita of US $ 1,600. All these achievements have been made despite our resources being debilitated by a scourge of terrorism and a natural disaster, the tsunami of 2004.

Mercifully one is behind us and the other is now about to be rooted out,” Prime Minister Wickramanayaka said.

He was addressing the inauguration of the ECOSOC Annual Ministerial Review Regional Meeting at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel, Colombo yesterday.

“The Government’s firm belief is that economic and social objectives should focus on the needs and aspirations of the ordinary people. Sri Lanka has achieved almost universal primary education. Net enrollment ratio reached 97.5 per cent in 2006 for both males and females. Literacy rate has been high among the 15-24 age group at around 95 per cent,” he said.

According to the Prime Minister, while free healthcare and free education for all have always been the State policy, President Mahinda Rajapaksa has today effectively placed development issues including poverty alleviation at the centre of his policy agenda known as the Mahinda Chinthana. The gradual empowerment of rural poor and factors such as gender equality and high levels of female literacy have contributed towards a greater awareness of healthcare and the progressive establishment of salutary practices, he said.

Prime Minister Wickramanayaka said public financing for healthcare began in Sri Lanka more than 2,000 years ago when Buddhist Kings established public hospitals and maintained them with royal revenue. Ancient records show that 18 hospitals were established by King Dutugemunu in the second century B.C. This tradition was strongly influenced by Buddhist culture which accords high priority to actively caring for the needy, the poor and the sick, he said.

Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama said that during more than two decades of combating terrorism in the North and East, the Government continues to effectively deliver healthcare facilities to the civilians in these parts.

“Even in areas which are held by the LTTE, all health infrastructure, including hospitals, medicine, doctors, nurses and healthcare personnel are maintained and paid through the funds allocated by the Government, since the inception of the conflict,” he said.

According to Minister Bogollagama this healthcare infrastructure has been maintained despite these supplies and facilities being used by the LTTE for their own cadres.

“The regular dispatch of medical provisions to these areas by land, air and sea routes is a challenging and risk-ridden operation, and its continuation for over two decades demonstrates our commitment to looking after the health related humanitarian needs of the civilians,” he said. Minister Bogollagama pointed out that these efforts continue to date with the efforts concentrated on ensuring the evacuation of patients from among the population still held captive by the LTTE in the very small area to which they are now confined.

Highest priority has also been accorded to the provision of healthcare to the 36,000 civilians and displaced persons in Vavuniya, who have escaped from the LTTE. Healthcare and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said there are three major problems at the moment. They are the food crisis, energy crisis and financial crisis. The financial crisis is pandemic and similar to an economic tsunami.

The Sri Lankan Government has not compromised the health budget for war and free health service is available for the whole nation.

The health budget is only second to the budgets on defence and education.

“President Mahinda Rajapaksa has identified expenditure on health as an investment. The health budget has been increased up to US $ 800 million and it is a 100 per cent increase,” he said.

According to Minister de Silva, the Sri Lankan health sector does not depend much on donors and only six per cent are contributed by them.

The life expectancy has increased up to 71 years. Infant mortality rate is only 11.2 per cent for 10,000 live births and maternal mortality rate is only 0.14 per 10,000 births.

Sri Lanka has one doctor per every 1,300 persons and one nurse for every 1,000 persons. The literacy rate for women is 89 per cent and it is 92 for men.

The Sri Lankan health system is very cost effective. Sri Lanka has already eradicated polio and Leprosy and about to eradicate Malaria and some other diseases. Diseases such as SAARS and Avion Influenza did not hit Sri Lanka.

WHO Deputy Director General Dr Anarfi Asamoa paid a tribute to the Sri Lankan Government and all Sri Lankans for volunteering to hold the event and said he is touched by the efforts taken by Sri Lanka to organise the meeting. Prevention of ill health and promoting of good health do not come cheap.

It is more expensive to look after the aged people than young people. About 50 per cent of drugs and 75 per cent of injections are not necessary, he added.

Vice President of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Ambassador Hamidon Ali and Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) Thomas Stelzer also spoke.

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