Retirement age of doctors extended by one year

• Retirement age changed from 60 yrs. to 61 
• President says creating more wards dedicated to COVID-19 treatment and similar viruses around the country needed 

Cabinet yesterday gave approval to extend the retirement age of doctors from 60 years to 61 years, given the shortage of medical professionals as a percentage of the population, an official said. 

The Cabinet paper presented by Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi to extend the retirement age of doctors by one year had been approved, said Co-Cabinet Spokesman Dr. Ramesh Pathirana. 

“This decision was taken in consideration of the limited number of doctors as a percentage of the overall population of Sri Lanka. In addition, the President also focused on the need to establish dedicated wards around the country for treatment of fever related diseases as COVID-19 is clearly going to be a situation that Sri Lanka, along with the rest of the world, will have to contend with for an extensive period of time. Therefore more facilities dedicated to COVID-19 and similar viruses will be needed,” he added.