Minister of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine Rajitha Senaratne has instructed to halt the payment of salaries for the doctors and nurses, who have failed to report to work following transfers.

Accordingly, the Secretary of the Ministry B.G.S. Gunathilake has been instructed regarding the implementation of this measure.

The Health Minister has given instructions to take disciplinary actions against the directors of hospitals who do not release the transferred doctors and nurses, and to pay attention to this matter when giving points to the administrative performances of these directors during promotions.

Furthermore, the financial allocations for those hospitals will also be halted according to the decision taken by the Health Minister.

The Minister stated this addressing the provincial health ministers’ conference held at the National Blood Transfusion Center.

Health authorities, attending the conference, pointed out that numerous issues have arisen as the transferred doctors and nurses had not reported to work.

Meanwhile, it has been decided during the conference to turn the Bandarawela District Hospital into a Base Hospital.

Accordingly, the hospital will be developed under foreign investments and a financial allocation of Rs 485 million.

The provincial health ministers’ conference also decided to provide CT scan machines to hospitals maintained under the line ministry and to a base hospital under a provincial council.