He made these remarks by joining the Committee Stage budget debate yesterday in Parliament under the expenditure head of the Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine Ministry.

“Though a country has physical development, the main factor of the development of a country is the good health condition of its people”, he said and added that the objective of the current government is to build Sri Lankan people as healthy citizens.

“The government’s strict decisions on the limitation of tobacco and drugs are today accepted by the United Nations , World Health Organization, and the affiliated international organizations and also all countries which are interested in this matter”, the President said.

He stated that the western medicines as well as our indigenous medical science systems including Ayurveda, which is our traditional medical system, are highly accepted in world today. “The government is committed to the development of these both sectors”, he said.

According to him, the migration of doctors and nurses is a critical problem in the health sector today. He requested all specialist doctors and nurses to minimize the migration. He also requested the doctors and nurses employed abroad to come to the motherland and serve for it even for a short period.

The President further stated if the migration of the doctors and the nurses will be imitated and if the migrated health persons come to the motherland and serve for it, the government will fulfill its responsibilities for them.