The Ministry of Health has issued an extraordinary gazette to recruit 3,000 student nurses, marking the first phase of a plan to add 13,600 personnel to the nursing service between 2025 and 2029.

The recruitment is open to students who passed the G.C.E. Advanced Level examination in the science or mathematics streams in 2021, 2022, 2023 or 2024. 

Eligible applicants can submit applications through the official website of the Ministry of Health and Mass Media, www.health.gov.lk, from May 29 to June 30. 

The ministry said qualified applicants will be selected after interviews. Training for the selected student nurses is expected to begin later this year. 

According to current health sector data, 43,553 nursing officers are serving in Sri Lanka’s state health system. To help address the shortage of health workers, the ministry recruited 3,441 Grade III nursing staff during the past two years. 

It also recently issued appointment letters to 515 B.Sc. Nursing graduates. Nearly 7,800 student nurses are currently undergoing professional training at nursing schools across the country. 

The Ministry of Health said the planned recruitment of 13,600 nursing personnel from 2025 to 2029 is being carried out under the guidance of Minister of Health Nalinda Jayatissa. (Newswire)

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The retirement age of nursing staff and several other healthcare service personnel will be increased to 61 years, pending the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers, Health Minister Ramesh Pathirana said.

Health Minister Dr. Ramesh Pathirana revealed this in response to a question raised by MP Gamini Waleboda in Parliament, highlighting several issues faced by nursing staff in the healthcare sector.

The Health Minister said that although requests had been made to extend the retirement age beyond 61 years, no such extension would be granted.

A Cabinet paper has been submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers to increase the retirement age to 61, Minister Pathirana said.

Meanwhile, measures are underway to recruit 3,000 new nurses to healthcare services, the Minister said, filling existing vacancies of 1,000. (Newswire)

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The Court of Appeal has quashed a state order pertaining to the retirement of persons aged over 60 in Sri Lanka’s Nursing Service.

The state order was issued directing all persons aged over 60 in four grades of Sri Lanka’s Nursing Service to retire.

Taking up for hearing the case in this regard, the Court of Appeal on Tuesday (Oct 24) quashed the state order.

The Court further issued an order recalling all persons aged over 60 who were sent on retirement under the state order, to rejoin the service. (NewsWire)

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Minister of Health Keheliya Rambukwella has issued a directive to recruit 3,000 nurses for Sri Lanka’s health sector. 

The minister has also advised the Ministry Secretary to prepare a Cabinet proposal in the event there are issues pertaining to recruitment.

The directive was issued to Health Ministry officials during a discussion with officials attached to the Ministry’s nursing sector held at the Health Ministry yesterday (Aug. 29). (NewsWire)

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