The Health and Media Minister Hon. Nalinda Jayatissa has positively received the requests put forward by Hon. Governor N. Vethanayahan of the Northern Province, including the increase of financial allocations to the Northern Province Health Department and other essential needs. The Minister assured that special additional financial allocations would be secured through discussions with the Finance Commission, taking into account the fact that District General Hospitals in the North unlike in other provinces are administered under the Provincial Council.
A special high level discussion on the development of the health sector of Northern Province was held on Saturday evening (27 June 2026) at the Governor’s Secretariat. The meeting was jointly chaired by Health and Media Minister Hon. Nalinda Jayatissa, Hon. Minister R. Chandrasekhar, and Hon. Governor of Northern Province N. Vethanayahan, and was attended by the Secretary to the Central Ministry of Health and other senior officials.
The Northern Province Provincial Council is responsible for administering a total of 117 hospitals. Since the Provincial Council in the North manages the District General Hospitals which in other provinces are administered by the Central Ministry this creates an additional financial burden. Accordingly, the Central Ministry should provide the Northern Provincial Council with funding equivalent to what it allocates for District General Hospitals in other provinces. Furthermore, given the inadequacy of maintenance and capital allocations, a multi-year capital investment plan should be developed through the Central Ministry.
Of the 58 newly approved cadre positions for the Kilinochchi Special Women’s Hospital, the 45 vacancies under the Central Ministry should be filled immediately. More than 1,500 positions have been lost in the North following the separation of the Northern and Eastern Provinces. Of 55 Divisional Hospitals, 34 are operating without nurses. Vacancies for basic grade staff that have been frozen for 11 years, and dispenser vacancies that need to be converted into pharmacist positions or filled, must be addressed immediately.
Permanent appointments rather than temporary attachments should be made for specialist medical vacancies at the District General Hospitals in Mannar, Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi, and Vavuniya. The minimum service period for nurses should be extended to prevent them from leaving the North after completing their compulsory service.
The faulty CT scanner at Vavuniya Hospital should be replaced, and a new CT scanner should be provided to Mannar Hospital. Immediate funding is required to complete stalled projects such as the Tellippalai Radiotherapy Unit and the Cheddikulam Renal Disease Centre. Additionally, damaged patient transport vehicles should be replaced.
The infrastructure and staffing of Jaffna Teaching Hospital should be upgraded with the firm goal of elevating it to the status of a National Hospital. Tellippalai should be upgraded to a District General Hospital, and the upgrading of Chankanai, Silawathurai, Kopay, and Chavakachcheri Hospitals should be expedited.
The Governor noted that the Northern Province Local Government Ministry and the Department of Animal Production and Health are jointly conducting an effective dog sterilisation programme, and that if the Central Ministry of Health channels its allocated funds directly to the Provincial Council for this purpose, the programme can be carried out more efficiently.
The Health Minister responded positively to each of the Governor’s requests.
Taking into account the unique administrative burden of the Northern Province, steps will be taken to increase financial allocations and improve maintenance funding through discussions with the Finance Commission.
Procurement procedures for a CT scanner for Mannar District Hospital have already been initiated, and subsequently a CT scanner will also be procured and provided to Vavuniya Hospital.
Prior to upgrading hospitals, it was noted that the appropriate course of action is to first fully establish the staffing and infrastructure commensurate with their current grade. A special committee will be appointed within the Ministry of Health to study the Tellippalai Base Hospital matter separately.
Steps will be taken to fill nursing vacancies to the extent possible. However, since Tamil students are applying in low numbers for nursing courses, awareness and encouragement must be raised among students in this regard.
Construction work on the Accident and Emergency Unit at Mannar Hospital, funded by the Indian Government, will commence in October of this year. The Minister also requested officials to expedite the preparation of estimates for the Mullaitivu District Hospital.
The Director of Provincial Health Services highlighted at the meeting that the incidence of dengue fever in the Northern Province is lower compared to the national average, and elaborated on the effective practices being followed in the North to achieve this outcome.
The Governor also specially noted that a fully free In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) service has been successfully launched at Kilinochchi General Hospital.
The high-level discussion was attended by Hon. Parliamentarian S. Sribavananthararaja, the Secretary to the Governor of Northern Province, the Secretary to the Provincial Ministry of Health, the Deputy Chief Secretary (Finance), the Provincial Director of Health Services, the Director of Jaffna Teaching Hospital, the Directors of Regional Health Services, and several other senior officials.
