Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, Hon. Minister of Health and Mass Media, stated that the Northern Provincial Council was the first Provincial Council in Sri Lanka to issue appointments to Health Service Assistants (HSA) following the approval of new cadres. He expressed his appreciation and gratitude to all those who contributed to this initiative, particularly the Hon. Governor of the Northern Province, the Chief Secretary and the Secretary to the Provincial Ministry of Health for their support and efforts in facilitating the appointments.
An event to formally awarding the appointment letters to 350 Health Service Assistants recruited to the Northern Province was held this evening – on Friday, 18 September 2026, at Thivya Mahal in Jaffna, under the chairmanship of Mrs. P. Jayarani, Secretary to the Provincial Ministry of Health of the Northern Province
Following the welcoming of the distinguished guests and the lighting of the traditional ceremonial oil lamp, the event continued with a special address by the Hon. Member of Parliament, S. Sribavanantharaja, followed by an address by the Hon. Governor of the Northern Province, N. Vethanayahan.
The Governor stated that this recruitment opportunity had arisen after a prolonged period, following the formation of the new Government and the gradual securing of the necessary approvals. He also expressed his appreciation for the clearances granted through the committee chaired by Hon. Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya.
The Governor stated that, following the receipt of several thousand applications, approximately 3,550 candidates were shortlisted for interviews. He noted that, upon completion of a structured and systematic interview process, 300 candidates were selected for appointment to the Provincial Health Service.
He noted that, drawing on the lessons learned from various concerns and questions that had arisen in relation to government appointments in the past, the appointment process on this occasion was conducted in a transparent, fair and systematic manner.
Stating that the appointment letter being presented today represents more than merely an offer of employment, the Governor urged the newly appointed Health Service Assistants to regard it as a responsibility entrusted to them following a selection process conducted among thousands of applicants. He emphasized that their contribution would be vital in addressing the shortage of support staff currently prevailing in many hospitals across the Northern Province and in strengthening the delivery of healthcare services to the people of the Province.
The Governor emphasized that the key responsibilities of Health Service Assistants include reporting for duty punctually, treating patients with dignity and respect and maintaining effective cooperation and coordination with doctors, nurses, and other healthcare personnel.
Furthermore, the Governor expressed his sincere appreciation to the Hon. Minister of Health, the committee chaired by the Hon. Prime Minister, the Ministry of Health, the Provincial Ministry of Health of the Northern Province and all officials who contributed to the successful implementation of the recruitment process. He expressed his hope that the appointment of these 350 personnel would constitute a valuable addition to the Northern Province health services and further strengthen the provision of healthcare to the people of the Province.
Appointments were issued today to 300 candidates selected through the interview process conducted by the Northern Provincial Council, while a further 50 appointments were issued by the Central Ministry of Health to serve at the Jaffna Teaching Hospital.
The event was graced by the presence of the Hon. Minister of Health and Mass Media, Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa and the Hon. Governor of the Northern Province, N. Vethanayahan, as Chief Guests. Hon. Members of Parliament S. Sribhavanandaraja, M. Jagatheeswaran and S. Thilakanathan participated as Special Guests. The event was also attended by the Chief Secretary of the Northern Province; the Secretary to the Provincial Ministry of Health of the Northern Province; Deputy Chief Secretaries responsible for Finance, Administration and Engineering Services; the Provincial Director of Health Services of the Northern Province; the Director of the Jaffna Teaching Hospital; the Deputy Director of Central Health Services; Regional Directors of Health Services; Directors of District General Hospitals; and the Coordinator to the Chairman of the Jaffna District Coordinating Committee.
