Colombo, Sri Lanka — Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa told Parliament today that Sri Lanka is facing a severe shortage of 1,139 specialist doctors, placing increasing strain on the country’s public health system.
Only 2,042 specialist doctors are currently available across 134 secondary, tertiary, and specialised-care hospitals, where expert services are deemed essential. According to the Minister, the gap is significantly undermining healthcare delivery nationwide.
Responding to a question raised by MP Nishantha Samaraweera, Dr. Jayatissa disclosed that 570 specialists have exited the system in recent years due to retirement, resignation, reassignments, or no-pay leave. Of those, 233 doctors retired between 2020 and 2024, 82 vacated their posts, and 191 are currently on no-pay leave. Additionally, 57 doctors were reassigned to other institutions, and seven resigned outright.
Alarmingly, the Minister also noted that 201 of the existing specialists are over the age of 60, while another 546 are between 55 and 60, highlighting the system’s increasing dependency on an aging workforce.
The shortage comes at a time when the country is still grappling with post-crisis recovery in multiple sectors, and is likely to intensify calls for urgent reforms in medical training, retention, and recruitment policies.
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