Ready to take tough decisions to improve Health Service – Dr. Pathirana

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Health Minister Dr. Ramesh Pathirana pledged to take all the necessary decisions for the improvement of the health service along with the changes expected by the people of this country.

He said that currently there are various problems in the health service, and there are some changes that the professionals expect and the society expects. The Minister said that he is not reluctant to take such decisions without considering the individual status of the officials for the betterment of the country’s healthcare service.

The Minister was speaking to the media after assuming duties at the Health Ministry.

While appreciating the great service rendered by the health sector workers during the COVID pandemic, Minister Pathirana said that he accepted the request by the President to serve the public as the Health Minister by successfully facing the prevailing challenges in the health field.

Also, the Minister said that everyone in the country enjoys the benefits of free health and education, and as a result, the World Health Organisation constantly introduces Sri Lanka as a country that provides highly effective health services at low cost.

The Minister said that to achieve a higher level of healthcare than most of the developed countries, and that the excellent results have been experienced in the past, the Health Ministry will cover this decade in accordance with the National Health Policy of Sri Lanka, which was formulated in 2016 and will be effective until 2025, in accordance with the people-centred, patient-centred policy of this country.

“It is everyone’s responsibility to create a strong healthcare service that is based on information and data and reduces the financial risk of patients,” he said. The Minister further said that measures should be taken to avoid the serious liabilities of primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare through disease prevention.

State Ministers Janaka Wakkumbura, Dr. Seetha Arambepola, Premanath C. Dolawatte and Director General of Health Dr. Asela Gunawardena also participated.

Ishara Mudugamuwa