Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya said that more attention should be paid to the safety of working women and a safe environment should be created for women in the workplace.
The Prime Minister made this statement while addressing the International Nurses Day – 2025 celebration organized by the All Ceylon Nurses Association held at the Kandy Kalaliya Hall (15).
This year’s International Nurses Day was celebrated with the theme “Our Nurse is Our Future – Caring for Nurses Strengthens the Economy” with the aim of marking the 205th birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale, who introduced the nursing profession, creating a forum to discuss the issues faced by nurses around the world, and celebrating nurses.
The magazine “Hedakama” written about the nursing profession was also presented to Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya and Minister Nalinda Jayatissa.
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya further commented,
Today is a good opportunity for all of us to think about the responsibility you bear as nurses and your service.
The Minister of Transport and I recently visited the Gampola Hospital and the Peradeniya Hospital to see the injured in the accident that occurred in the Garadiella area. Although it was not the first time I have visited a hospital, every time I visit a hospital, I am amazed by the dedication and service provided by our nursing sisters there. I personally witnessed the dedication of the nursing sisters when my mother fell ill and was hospitalized.
I spoke to those nursing brothers and sisters in the Gampola and Peradeniya hospitals. There, I became very aware of the difficulties that nurses face. One nurse said that she works night shifts for two days straight. I asked her where her family was, and she laughed. She said she doesn’t even have time to think about her family. The children are taken care of by their mother, and she doesn’t remember the last time she saw her husband. They work with such dedication.
How healthy is it to work like this? We are not working in a situation where everything is perfect. We are rebuilding a broken, collapsed system.
95 percent of the nursing profession is women. I don’t think this is something that is only suitable for women or something that only women do. We have to think a little about how did half a percent of them become women?
I also wondered if we, as women, have some natural ability.
When we talk about job security in any job, it’s not just about the salary. We also need to think about the safe environment for women to work in, the safety of the workplace. There are times when the work environment becomes unsafe for various reasons. Women have to work a lot in night shifts, deserted places, in difficult transportation facilities, and in places where people more powerful than them are influencing them. I think it is extremely important to ensure your safety in such cases.
Also, as a woman, you need to balance your career and family life. For that, you need the necessary social environment and facilities. We need to think about what facilities and support are provided to fulfill the responsibilities we take on as women. Life is not just about money, it includes everything, happiness and comfort. We are trying to build a society where such a life can be achieved. We need to build a society where we can choose an easy life, not make a difficult choice.
The theme of nursing mentions the nurse who strengthens the economy. But what needs to happen is that we need to build an economy that strengthens the nurse. How can we have an easy life if the people become an instrument that builds the economy. Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya said that the government’s aim is to strengthen the economy and create a society where everyone has equal opportunities and facilities.
