Rs. 500 billion spent for health sector annually: Health Minister

The annual expenditure of the state health sector records Rs. 500 billion each year, Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne said.

The Government allocates around Rs. 235 billion for the health sector every year and the rest of the funds are obtained through various cabinet papers, foreign aid etc., the Minister said.

He said this addressing a gathering after laying the foundation stone for the new building complex at the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital in Galle recently.

Minister Senaratne stated that a new ten stored surgical ward complex will be constructed for the hospital at a cost of Rs. 690 million and a new eight stored Oral and Maxillo-facial Unit will be constructed at a cost of Rs. 997 million.

Arrangements will be made to teach English langue in the new nursing faculty, he said.

There is a huge demand for nurses in countries like UK, USA. Sri Lankan nurses can obtain those employment opportunities when they are equipped with English knowledge and other required skills, he added.

(Source: Daily News – By Nadira Gunatilleke)