I will stand by health workers - Health Minister

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

"As Health Minister of Sri Lanka, I stand by every single health worker and will protect them from all forms of harassment they face while carrying out their official duties.

"I will always see that justice is done to them, Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena said. He said so addressing the Annual General Meeting of the PHIs' Union of Sri Lanka which was held in Colombo recently. Minister Sirisena said that he was there to look after the health staff and admire their services. Health workers are often harassed while trying to protect people's lives.

But justice will be done to any health worker who undergoes harassment while carrying out official duties. The government will do everything for them," he said.

Minister Sirisena pointed out that there were nearly 2,000 PHIs in the country at the moment.

There were about 54 active trade unions in the health sector and around 40 of them meet him regularly.

The most important quality of the health service was being kind towards human beings.

Health sector employment was something that goes beyond official duty.