Minister promises to develop all hospitals

Ridma Disssanayake

The government’s policy is to develop all hospitals in state and provincial sectors, Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena said. “All hospitals in the public sector provide a free health service to the public. The government’s aim is to upgrade the standards of the country’s free health service, whether they come under the central government or provincial councils,” he added. Minister Sirisena was speaking during an inspection tour of Wathupitiwala Base and Gampaha General Hospitals.

The minister discussed the development process of these hospitals with their controlling authorities and promptly solved some of key problems affecting the hospitals.

“While the country claimed to run 1,047 hospitals,only 47 of them come under the purview of the government .

The other 1,000 hospitals are under the purview of the Provincial Councils. I have no idea to take over any hospital to the central government. We only need to upgrade the country’s free health service. The government has taken a number of measures,” the minister said.

“Even though, I am the Health Minister, it is not possible for me to visit all the hospitals in the country. It is not practical as well. We The Provincial Councils should be held responsible with matters regarding to provincial things,”the minister added. He said the assistance of Provincial Councils is important for the government to go forward with their development projects.

Other governing authorities should provide all assistance to the development projects initiated by the government.

Health Ministry Deputy Director General (Laboratory Services) Dr.Gamini Samarasinghe,Deputy Director General (Medical Services)

Dr.Ananda Gunasekara,Medical Supplies Division Director Dr.Kamal Jayasinghe and Western Provincial Health Services Director Dr.Amal Harsha Silva were also participated.