A motion of no-confidence signed by 39 members of the Joint Opposition against Minister of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine Dr. Rajitha Senaratne has been handed over to the Speaker of Parliament today (24). 

Reports confirm that several members of the JO including Wimal Weerawansa, Namal Rajapaksa and Bandula Gunawardane have signed the motion.  

The JO submitted the motion after several alleged claims of corruption against Minister Senaratne were brought to light recently. It was also stated that the poor manner in which the Health Minister dealt with the ongoing SAITM issue should be taken into consideration.  

Speaking to the media following the submission MP Dinesh Gunawardena stated that the JO requests the speaker to make provisions to debate the motion in parliament as soon as possible.     
 
The motion includes 11 clauses through which the JO aims to convince the members of the house that Minister Senaratne is unfit to retain his post as Minister of Health, Nutrition and indigenous Medicine. 

The motion states that the JO believes Minister Senaratne is unfit for his post, as there have been several large-scale corruption allegations that are yet to be disapproved against the Health Minister, who has failed to neither acknowledge nor dismiss them. It also states that the poor manner, in which the Health Minister has handled the SAITM issue regressed the Medical education of the country immensely. 

It was also mentioned that Minister Senaratne deluded political parties by falsely stating that he was taking steps to hand over the administration of the Neville Fernando Hospital to the government while using government funds to reconstruct and facilitate the private hospital. 

The careless manner in which the Minister failed to gazette a minimum standard for medical education despite the GMOA handing over suggestions was also highlighted. The delayed response by the Health Ministry to mitigate the Dengue crisis and the reluctance to admit patients to government hospitals was also included. 

Several fallacies committed by Minister Rajitha Senaratne including the handing over of the Modara Fisheries port to a private organization during his tenure as Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Development were mentioned in the motion. 

Several high ranking members of the JO came forward as signatories for the motion, where they collectively expressed the need to debate the motion in parliament as soon as possible to ensure justice is meted out vehemently.