Govt will liberate North soon
- President

President Mahinda Rajapaksa asserts that his Government which liberated the East, would likewise liberate the North as well by next year and provide equal health facilities to all by the provision of a fully-equipped hospital in every district.

President Rajapaksa made this assertion last Tuesday at Temple Trees where he felicitated the Ampara Hospital staff on their being awarded an internationally renowned Asia-Pacific Region 'Quality' Award in recognition of the qualitative service. This is believed to be the first ever of its kind to be awarded to a government institution.

The President said that the Government was making a colossal investment annually in the health sector envisaging a quality and optimum service to the people who have great faith and expectations in the Government Hospitals, its doctors and the nursing staff.
He praised and thanked the Ampara Hospital staff who had shunned petty ideologies and worked with team-spirit and commitment to achieve the high standards.
President Rajapaksa underscored the importance of installing 'Bio-Metric' machines in all government institutions, inclusive of the health sector in which there had been much anxiety in the recent past.

"This measure which would be extended to Parliamentarians too, would help enhance efficiency in the public service", he added. President Rajapaksa also made a presentation of awards to the Ampara Hospital staff.
Health and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva speaking on the occasion, lauded the services of the Ampara Hospital staff who had done a yeoman service and qualified for an award. "This was a classic example where the attention of the whole world was focused on Sri Lanka's entire health sector", Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said.

Ampara Hospital Medical Superintendent P.K. Lanka Jayasinghe said a qualitative shift for the better could be made within the public service, if there could be a paradigm shift in the development of idealogies and concepts. Minister and Ampara District Parliamentarian P. Dayarathna, the Acting Health Ministry Secretary, Secretary-General of Health Services, Dr. Krishan Silva, K.V.C. Janaka, J. Dahanayake and other officials of the Nursing staff participated.