The government plans to recruit approximately 13,000 nursing officers over the three-year period from 2027 to 2029, Minister of Health and Mass Media Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa has announced.

The Health Minister made the announcement while addressing a ceremony held at Temple Trees today (01), where appointment letters were presented to 2,819 nursing trainees from the 2020 student nursing batch, who have been recruited as Grade III Nursing Officers.

The ceremony was held under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

Minister Jayatissa said the Health Ministry had accelerated efforts to fill existing vacancies across the country's hospital network to address staff shortages and ensure the delivery of quality healthcare services to the general public.

He also noted that the Ministry was paying special attention to filling vacancies in the nursing service, particularly those that had remained unfilled since 2017.

The 2,819 newly appointed nursing officers successfully completed a three-year Higher Diploma in Nursing programme after gaining admission in 2023 to 16 nursing colleges located across the island.

They were selected from students who sat for the G.C.E. Advanced Level examinations in the Science and Mathematics streams in 2019 and 2020.

The newly appointed officers are scheduled to be deployed to hospitals and healthcare institutions administered by both the central government and provincial councils across the country.

Meanwhile, appointment letters for promotions were also presented to 76 Grade I Nursing Officers (Hospital Services), elevating them to the Special Grade of Nursing Officers (Hospital Services).

The promotions were also awarded under the patronage of President Dissanayake at the same ceremony.