Nursing Graduates Demand Immediate Recruitment into Government Service
In a pressing appeal to authorities, the Inter University Nursing Graduates’ Unity, led by Chairman Chathura Gamage, has voiced serious concerns over the prolonged delay in recruiting nursing graduates into the government service in Sri Lanka. Despite completing rigorous academic and clinical training programs at prestigious state universities such as the Eastern University of Sri Lanka, the University of Colombo, University of Peradeniya, University of Ruhuna, University of Jaffna and the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, approximately 800 nursing graduates remain unemployed or underemployed.
Delay in Recruitment
Nursing graduates have not been absorbed into the government healthcare system since the last gazette notification issued on January 1, 2021. Historically, nursing graduates were recruited through a systematic process involving a six-month adaptation and orientation program following the issuance of a gazette notification. However, this process has been abandoned for nearly three years. Instead, the Ministry of Health has appointed two groups of diploma-holding nurses during this period, sidelining graduates who meet international nursing standards.
According to the Extraordinary Gazette 1837/8, issued in November 2013, 25% of annual nursing service recruits must come from nursing graduates. This mandate has been blatantly ignored, resulting in significant unemployment and underemployment among nursing graduates. Approximately 25% of graduates are unable to find jobs, while another 40% work in private hospitals for meager salaries, and 10% serve in semi-government hospitals under poor conditions.
Challenges and Economic Hardships
The Inter University Nursing Graduates’ Unity highlights the severe economic strain faced by these graduates, many of whom delayed completing their degrees due to the pandemic and are now married with additional financial responsibilities. The six-month substitute adjustment training currently required before recruitment is deemed impractical. This program provides an allowance of only Rs. 34,000, which is insufficient to cover daily expenses, and does not contribute to their service period.
Chairman Chathura Gamage emphasized the inequity of this process, noting that diploma holders—who complete three years of study—are directly appointed and benefit from the same allowance during their training period. Conversely, degree-holding graduates, who undergo more extensive and specialized training, are forced to wait for years with no certainty of employment.
Call for a Scientific Recruitment Process
The Unity has urged the Ministry of Health to develop a scientifically sound and equitable recruitment process. It advocates for:
- Recognizing nursing graduates on a separate and appropriate salary scale.
- Introducing a recruitment system that values the advanced education and training of degree holders.
- Ending the practice of substitute adjustment training, which wastes public resources and undermines the professionalism of nursing.
The Unity also pointed out that internationally, a nursing degree is the standard qualification for the profession. Many countries, such as the Philippines and India, leverage their nursing graduates to boost foreign exchange earnings. Sri Lanka could similarly benefit if nursing graduates were provided with opportunities to work abroad after gaining proper recognition and experience locally.
Contributions During the Pandemic
The Unity stressed that nursing graduates played a critical role during the COVID-19 pandemic, contributing well beyond their clinical training requirements. Despite this, their efforts have gone unrecognized, and their career prospects remain uncertain.
Appeal to Authorities
Chathura Gamage concluded the appeal by urging the Ministry of Health to act immediately to resolve these longstanding issues. “Not absorbing nursing graduates into the public service for over three years, after completing an internationally recognized degree funded by public taxes, is a grave injustice,” he stated. “We call upon the authorities to create a fair, scientific, and efficient recruitment process to improve the quality of the nursing profession and healthcare in Sri Lanka.”
SpenzerNews will continue to monitor this developing story and provide updates on the response from government authorities.
