The president of Sri Lanka declared that there has been a lack of capital investment in health and education for over 35 years and that additional funding will be made available starting this year.
This was said by Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe during the morning of March 27, 2024, when he opened the "German-Sri Lankan Friendship New Women's Hospital" for public use in Galle Karapitiya. This facility is thought to be the largest maternity hospital in South Asia.
With 640 beds, six operating rooms, emergency rooms, critical care units, labs, neonatal intensive care units, special pediatric units, and all the amenities of a contemporary medical facility, the six-story hospital spans six stories. Here is also a sewage treatment plant installed.
Former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl saw the damage that the tsunami had caused to the largest maternity hospital in the southern province, Galle Mahamodara Hospital, while on vacation in Sri Lanka in December 2004 and offered to establish a new maternity hospital. Kohl was staying at a tourist hotel in the Habaraduwa Talbe area.
The hospital's construction was funded in part by 25 million euros, or around Rs. 357 crores, by the German government. Donations have covered a portion of the hospital's expenses, with soft loans covering the remaining balance.
In addition, German Ambassador to Sri Lanka Felix Neumann received a souvenir from President Ranil Wickremesinghe of Sri Lanka for this gesture from the German government.
At first, 800 plots of land were set aside for the hospital's construction. Eventually, two more plots were purchased, bringing the hospital's total acreage to approximately 1,000 perches.
Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe inaugurated the new maternity hospital and then gave a tour of its facilities, which included state-of-the-art surgical facilities.
Speaking at the occasion, President Ranil Wickremesinghe of Sri Lanka added:
"Our doctors had to battle malaria earlier. However, since the number of senior people and diseases has increased, the health industry is facing more obstacles than ever before. The health service must therefore adapt appropriately.
This nation also needs to make changes to its educational system. Education and health-related capital expenditures have received insufficient funding thus far. Prior until now, insufficient funds were allocated to education and health. This was due to the fact that the war required a substantial financial commitment.
Second, interest must be paid on the substantial loan amount due to its size. I made efforts to increase funding for education while serving as Minister of Education from 1980 to 1989. However, later on, for a variety of reasons, there was no chance to invest a large sum of money in schooling. However, going forward, we ought to focus on this more.
We spend half of our salary on debt and interest since we borrowed a lot in the past. 07 trillion has been set aside in this year's budget for spending. 3.9 trillion of which is designated for paying off debt. Two thirds will go toward interest and one third will be used for loan repayment. Moreover, salaries cost 1.2 trillion dollars. Very little is left after capital costs are allocated. Money needs to be set aside for projects, including irrigation.
We can't keep going in this manner. For this reason, the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and International Monetary Fund advised us to start the reorganization process right now. The first choice was to get the funds needed for this year's expenses domestically. In order to create economic stability in the nation, this choice is crucial. For whatever reason, no more money can be printed. Furthermore, withdrawals from government banks are prohibited. Make the required amount of money domestically and proceed.
We had no choice but to increase taxes, and everyone held us responsible for it. However, this action eliminated the need to print money for the budget initially. We are aware of the challenges that everyone encounters. However, there is no need to borrow money for the current budget because of the tax hike. The nation is currently experiencing the effects of it. The rupee has gained and is currently worth less than 300 versus the dollar, down from 370 earlier. The rupee will continue to gain strength.
Moreover, interest rates might drop with less inflation. The industries will thereafter advance. The development of industry will propel the nation forward. Despite the challenges, the decisions made have helped the nation today. Additionally, we have raised government employees' pay. The number of low-income Aswesuma beneficiaries has increased over thrice. In addition, measures have been implemented to enhance remuneration in the private industry. Over the following two years, our loan repayments will progressively drop if we stick to this job plan. The nation can benefit from the usage of those funds.
We cannot have hope for the future if the health and education systems are not modernized. We made progress in the 1930s with improvements in health care, education, and other areas. We achieved advancements in health and education in the 1980s. Today, our medical specialists not only oversee the health system in Sri Lanka but also in the United Kingdom. As a result, we will raise the funds required for the health and education sectors and advance those fields quickly," the president of Sri Lanka declared.
Dr. Ramesh Pathirana, Minister of Health and Industries, stated:
"The modern maternity hospital is a gift from the late German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, for which I am grateful. I had two dreams in 2010 when I was first elected to the Parliament.
The construction of the German-Sri Lankan Friendship Women's Hospital, which had been put on hold at the time, and the reconstruction of the abandoned major bus station wrecked by the tsunami were those two dreams. In 2010, Galle Main Bus Station was constructed. Only 26 foundation pillars for this facility had been constructed at that point. The establishment of this hospital was funded by the government. This hospital's construction is now successfully finished, and it is available for public usage.
The budget allotted to the Ministry of Health for 2024 includes 200 crore rupees for the Karapitiya Hospital. A total of 100 crores have been set out for the departments of surgery, dentistry, professorships, and strokes. An additional 100 crores rupees will be used to buy medical supplies. In terms of size and technology, Karapitiya Hospital is surpassed only by Colombo National Hospital. He stated, "Today, the maternity hospital and Karapitiya Hospital are expanding their services together.
Ali Sabri, Presidential Counselor and Foreign Minister:
About two years ago, when Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickramasinghe took office, the nation underwent a significant transformation. His diplomatic connections were crucial to the recovery of Sri Lanka's economy. For instance, we began paying Iran's debt in August of last year and finished it today. To elevate Sri Lanka's pride to a global level, actions have been done.
Minister of Health Secretary Dr. Palitha Mahipala:
Free health care is a distinct benefit for Sri Lankans. The life expectancy of Sri Lankan people has grown. As a result, the life expectancy for women is 80 years, and for men it is 76 years. Our health services have successfully managed numerous disorders. World Health Organization verification of this has been made. Additionally, our health service employs a group of physicians that are skilled in carrying out the finest surgeries. It alludes to the features of the nation's health standard. The health of Sri Lankans might be enhanced by all of these services, the speaker claimed.