The country is developed with collaboration and unity. If the country is developed, its benefits will be for you and for your children..
He made these comments while attending the occasion of the opening of the four-storey building of the Udugama Base Hospital, and the first phase of the three storey building which is being constructed in Niyagama Divisional Hospital on 18.03.2024.
This new four storey building is constructed in the Udugama Base Hospital at a cost of 400 million Rupees by the Primary Healthcare-System-Strengthening Project under World Bank assistance and allocations of the Southern Province, and in this building consists of the accident and emergency unit and the forensic medicine unit on the ground floor, the operation theatres A, B, and C on the first floor and the Ward No. 01 on the second floor and Ward No. 05 on the third floor for providing patient care services to the needy people in the region.
The amount spent for the first phase of the three-storey building of the Niyagama Divisional Hospital is Ninety point Five million rupees. In its first phase, the outpatient department, the clinics and the emergency treatment unit are included, and the Ministry of Health has taken steps to provide allocations of twenty million rupees for constructions of the second phase.
Prime Minister at the occasion commented as follows;
“Throughout Sri Lankan history in Sri Lanka health and education were prominent sectors in the country. We were in a prominent place in international standards because of these two investments. The service rendered by a generation of doctors created through that should be appreciated. We have passed a very difficult period. We should not forget that challenging period. In that period our international negotiations were disturbed. The international banks decided not to negotiate with Sri Lankan banks. That is due to the financial, economic crisis faced by our country. In that moment the government could reconnect with the world after going through this difficult period.
Since the country’s economy could be turned again into a stable situation, a large amount of money has been allocated in the 2024 budget for rural development this year. According to the Decentralized Fund, provincial council funds and funds for projects will be injected back to the economy.
Although there are limitations for certain new recruitments, steps have been taken to increase recruitments in the medical field, health field and various fields. A decision has been taken to prepare and approve a special university entrance for the field of nursing, which can lead to a university degree. Through that, it is expected that the field of nursing can be expanded further. When we are moving forward with such a programme, from today, Niyagama gets the opportunity to get more ease access to the process of obtaining public health services.
I remember Minister Richard Pathirana when I see the Minister of Health, and when I see Member of Parliament Isuru Dodangoda, he reminds me of Minister Amarasiri Dodangoda. We were elected to parliament on the same day. After stepping in to the Parliament on the same day, forty years ago, we have worked in cooperation. We contributed to give strength to the public movement. I appreciate that their beloved children take part in the national development dialogue. The field of medicine is a field that has faced great challenge. There are opportunities for taking advantage of them to the health sector. It is necessary to create new knowledge and information technology development in the hospital so that it can provide many special services like Karapitiya General Hospital. I believe that everyone will support to make it a success. We work towards obtaining the support of all sectors in the medical field, which is constantly committed to the intention of building a healthy Sri Lanka, to the government and to this process, for the said purpose.
The country is developed by collaboration and unity. If the country is developed, its benefits will be for you and for your children.
A group including Minister of Health Ramesh Pathirana, Governor of Southern Province Dr. Willie Gamage, Chairman of Galle District Coordination Committee Sampath Athukorala, Members of Parliament Isuru Dodangoda, Yadamini Gunawardena, and former members and Secretary to the Ministry of Health Specialist Dr Palitha Mahipala, Southern Province Chief Secretary Attorney at Law Sumith Alahakoon, and the general public participated in this event.
Prime Minister’s Media