After assuming duties at his office in Colombo on Friday, he told Health Ministry officials that he could not refuse the post of Health Minister which was offered to him.“I am a person who does not ask for positions. I give up the positions I receive. But this time I could not reject it,” he said.
According to Minister Rajapaksa, State hospitals need more beds and more facilities, not new buildings alone. SLFP Vice President and a former Health Minister W.D.J. Seneviratne said that he entered Parliament along with the Health Minister in 1989 and since then the Health Minister had held several key positions in the Government.
All issues should be resolved through discussions and strikes should not be launched before holding discussions, he said.
Health Ministry Secretary Wasantha Perera said the Health Ministry has a dedicated and talented staff and all should work together by sinking petty differences.The Sri Lankan health service is far ahead of the health services in some of the developed countries.
Health Services Director General Dr. Anil Jasinghe said that the entire State sector health staff comprises 135,000 people and there are 1,000 State health institutions in the country and Rs. 6.5 billion is needed to pay the monthly salaries of Health Ministry staff.“This is a dynamic ministry and trade unions should work with patience without resorting to strikes often,” he added.
Former SLFP MPs Sumedha G. Jayasena, Dr. Mrs. Sudarshini Fernandopulle, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, Kumara Welgama and Salinda Dissanayake were also present.