Nurses allowed to serve in home towns for 10 years

Ridma DISSANAYAKE

The Health Ministry will deploy nurses, para-medics and interim-medical staff in their home towns for a 10 year period from the date of appointment after training, Health Ministry Secretary Dr Nihal Jayathilake said.

The Secretary said several nurses, para-medics and interim-medical staff come to the ministry requesting transfers when deployed to hospitals and other health institutions after training. All newly recruited government workers should serve in the area they are deployed in by the government, Dr Jayathilake said.

“If they accept the appointment, sometimes they do not attend to work in an official capacity.

As a result, the public is inconvenienced, he said. Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena submitted a Cabinet paper requesting permission to deploy the newly recruited nurses, para-medics and interim-medical staff in their home towns and this was approved by Cabinet recently.

All health workers will be allowed to work in their home towns for 10 years from the date of their appointment date, Dr Jayathilake said.