Jayakody, who noted that Ayurvedic doctors had been requesting this change for over 18 years, expressed gratitude to President Ranil Wickremesinghe for his intervention in realizing this long-standing request.

The minister made these remarks while addressing the press briefing titled “Collective Path to a Stable Country” held at the Presidential Media Centre (PMC), today (07).

Minister Jayakody further explained;

Economic instability is being exacerbated by various international conflicts. It is crucial to remember that a stable country can only be achieved through a stable economic system. National security requires both the country and its economy to be stable.

Public should consider the future of their children and the nation when making decisions to ensure the country’s success.

In this context, the Cabinet has approved extending the additional service allowance, previously available only to doctors of Western medicine doctors, to include government Ayurvedic doctors. This long-standing request, made by Ayurvedic doctors for over 18 years, has been realized thanks to the intervention of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, for which special gratitude is due.

The additional allowance for Ayurvedic doctors will be funded through the budget allocated to the Ministry of Health, ensuring that it does not impact the Ministry of Finance. This development is a significant win for government Ayurvedic practitioners.

As of July 31, applications for registration of traditional healers have been called for, with 712 applications received. Contrary to circulating rumours about a suspension of registration, plans are in place to conduct the necessary examinations in the coming weeks.