Local News from Sri Lanka: Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe says the government’s objective is to make the northern province’s Vanni district one of the country’s most advanced areas over the next five years. The Premier expressed these views as he took part in a function conducted today at Vavuniya District Hospital to open the hospital’s new accident ward and emergency unit constructed at a price of Rs. 150 million.
The event was also attended by Minister of Health Dr. Rajitha Senaratne, Minister Rishard Bathiudeen and Netherlands Deputy Ambassador Eva van Woersem. The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone for building the hospital’s proposed treatment unit for cardiology and renal diseases. The Netherlands Government has made Rs. 600 million accessible for this project.
Prime Minister Wickremesinghe is on an official three-day visit to Jaffna and is planning to open a number of recently finished development projects during the visit. Speaking at the case, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe said the government intends to take a number of steps in the near future to extend the current government’s job on Vavuniya and the Vanni region growth.
Mr. Wickremesinghe stressed that the government had given priority to spending more money on education and health and that this was an investment for the current generation. The Prime Minister also revealed that the building of the Malwathu Oya Reservoir to benefit the Rajarata and Vanni areas will begin next week.
Addressing the gathering, Minister of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine Dr. Rajitha Senaratne said that the Free Health Service was properly defined under this government. Health Minister added that the government has allocated resources for cancer and heart disease patients to receive medicines free of charge to eliminate their financial issues.
