Strengthening Sri Lanka’s Ayurvedic medicine sector, 303 graduates, including community health medical officers, were appointed to the Sri Lanka Ayurvedic Medical Service at a ceremony held on Monday (3) at the Colombo District Secretariat Auditorium under the patronage of Minister of Health and Mass Media, Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa.

The minister said the government has already recruited 72,000 new personnel to the public service, of whom nearly 7,000 have joined the health sector. He added that this latest recruitment marks the largest single intake of Ayurvedic doctors since 2018.

Dr. Jayatissa noted that in the past, various administrations had recruited individuals into the public service without proper coordination, resulting in an some sectors being overstaffed while others face chronic staff shortages. The National People’s Power (NPP) government wants a structured system to ensure efficiency and accountability in recruitment.

Of the 72,000 new public appointments approved, around 9,000 were allocated to the health ministry, and nearly 7,000 have already been filled. In the last six months alone, 4,141 nurses have joined the state health service.

He added that despite administrative delays and outdated procedures, the ministry had finalised appointments within eight months. About 2,000 more graduates are awaiting recruitment, which will be done in a systematic and transparent manner.

Emphasising fiscal discipline, Dr. Jayatissa said the government inherited a fragile economy and therefore must allocate funds prudently, prioritising economic stabilisation before increasing expenditure.

He said rebuilding the public sector and modernising traditional Ayurvedic medicine requires “the energy of youth and a generation of intelligent, patriotic, and action-oriented professionals.”

Under the government’s “Healthy Nation” policy framework, Ayurveda hospitals and primary health services will be developed to meet modern healthcare needs through the integration of new knowledge and technology. The minister urged the newly appointed officers to support these national goals.

The 303 recruits will undergo a one-year comprehensive training programme under the supervision of senior Ayurvedic specialists across central government and provincial hospitals. They will later be assigned to provincial councils, regional institutions, and hospitals, including those in areas heavily affected by chronic kidney disease and other health challenges.

The ceremony was attended by Additional Secretary (Development) of the Indigenous Medicine Division and Commissioner General of Ayurveda, Samanthi Ranasinghe; Deputy Commissioner of Ayurveda, Dr. M. Wasantha Padmakumara; Additional Secretary (Administration) of the Health and Mass Media Ministry, Shammie Denawatta; and Director of the National Institute of Traditional Medicine, H.T.W. Chathuranga, along with senior officials, hospital directors, and administrators from the Department of Ayurveda.