Dr Ramesh Pathirana has been appointed as Health Minister replacing Keheliya Rambukwella in a mini-cabinet reshuffle a short while ago, the President's Media Division said.
Mr Rambukwella was sworn in as the Minister of Environment, at the Presidential Secretariat.
The replacement came amidst continuous campaigns to remove Mr Rambukwella from the post in view of a string issues in the health sector including shortages of the medicines, reported deaths in hospitals due to wrong administration of drugs, fraudulent activities in purchases of medicines.
As part of the cabinet reshuffle, Mr. Mahinda Amaraweera was appointed as the Minister of Agriculture and Plantation Industries.
Dr. Pathirana was appointed as the Minister of Health in addition to his portfolio as Minister of Industries.
Mr. Ranjith Siyambalapitiya was appointed as the Non-Cabinet Minister of Plantation Enterprises apart from his post as State Minister of Finance.
The Opposition brought a no confidence motion in Parliament against Minister Rambukwella and a three day debate took place between September 6 to 8. Eventually the no confidence motion was defeated.
The motion was handed over to Speaker Mahinda Yapa by Samagi Jana Balawegaya’s (SJB) General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara and MP Dr Kavinda Jayawardena on July 21.
A total of 113 lawmakers voted against the motion while 73 voted in favor of Rambukwella.
Tamar Amitai, a 25-year-old Israeli tourist who went missing in Uppuveli, Trincomalee, was found safe after a three-day joint search operation today.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe is firm about the President’s five-year tenure, the President’s Media Division (PMD) said.
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