Money allocated to remedy shortcomings not utilized:

Funds for health sector sent back to Treasury

Gayan Rajapaksa and Hidogama Group Corr

Funds amounting to several million rupees allocated for the uplift of health services in the Polonnaruwa district in 2011 through the North Central Provincial Council had been sent back to the Treasury without being used.

This is a very sad state of affairs, said Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena.

He was addressing a progress review meeting convened by Provincial Health Minister H B Semasinghe at the Polonnaruwa Provincial Health Services office auditorium recently.

Minister Sirisena said steps should be taken to ensure that such a thing would not happen this year.

“As Health Minister, I am allocating funds to remedy shortcomings in the country’s health sector. But if the required development activities are not implemented, people will have a bad impression on me thinking I am not allocating funds. If the Provincial Council declined to perform the work when funds are allocated, all work can be undertaken by the line Ministry.

If funds allocated for development are not used properly, it is a grave crime perpetrated on the people. I sincerely hope that H B Semasinghe as the new Provincial Health Minister will look into all these shortcomings and do a good job.

Several doctors who attended the meeting requested Minister Sirisena to provide facilities for training pharmacists and take steps to remedy shortcomings in hospitals in the district.

Minister Sirisena said steps would be taken to fill all vacancies in the NCP health sector next year and provide new motorcycles to PHIs and other health officers.

Provincial Health Minister H B Semasinghe, Provincial Ministry Secretary Chandra Chandradasa and other officials were also present.