Health sector given prominence in 2022 budget: Keheliya

The allocation for the health sector in the upcoming budget will exceed the allocation for defense, and it will be the highest allocation for next year, Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said.

He said that usually the defense and education sectors get the highest allocations respectively in the budget, but deviating from that pattern, the health sector has been given prominence in the Budget for 2022.

He noted that the unprecedented increase of funds for the health sector is due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Minister was speaking to the media at an event to open the COVID-19 ward and Intensive Care Unit built at the Kandy National Hospital with the funds received as public donations. The new COVID-19 ward has 100 beds and the ICU consists of 16 beds.

The minister said that a policy decision has been taken to complete the half-done constructions next year without beginning new constructions.

He said that some buildings which had completed construction remain unused due to lack of required facilities to begin operations. He added that the Ministry has paid attention to giving required facilities and opening such units.