More doctors to serve in welfare villages

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry posted 122 new MBBS doctors to welfare villages to serve IDPs. Many more doctors will be appointed to serve in difficult areas. This is how the Government ensures free healthcare service. Healthcare and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva said.

Addressing the gathering after handing over appointment letters to 900 new MBBS post intern doctors, Minister De Silva said Sri Lanka is the only country which grants employments in the state sector for all the doctors who pass out from state universities and foreign universities.

According to Minister De Silva the Government made arrangements to provide state sector employments for all doctors pass out from state and foreign universities up to 2009 and even after 2009 the Government will be able provide state sector employments for doctors because around 300 doctors migrate every year.

Parents of newly appointed doctors do not need to worry about sending their children to serve in the Northern and Eastern Provinces because those provinces are not considered as difficult areas any longer and have equal facilities. The doctors who demanded more facilities were allowed to stay in hotels at Anuradhapura and the ministry paid millions of rupees for the hotels. Hospitals will be set up only after clearing land mines and after obtaining an International level clearance certificate. No one needs to work in fear because terrorism is no more there.

Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Minister Jayaratne Herath, Ministry officials, doctors and parents were present.