In 2010 there could be a surplus of doctors in Sri Lankan hospitals, but the government will continue doctors’ recruitment, Health Care and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said.

In developed countries there was no category employed in hospitals as labourers. There are however about 14,000 labourers employed in Sri Lankan hospitals. The designation ‘labourer’ had now become redundant, but the government would have to continue recruiting labourers as the trade unions would intervene if the practice was discontinued, the minister said.

"In all Government hospitals there are 60,000 beds and to look after the patients there is a staff compising 84,000 personnel. A survey conducted by the Health Ministry showed that in each hospital there was one nurse for two beds, one doctor for 3 beds and one labourer for 4 beds.

Almost all countries had accepted the labourer’s duty was redundant in hospitals. Some of those duties were performed by doctors, nurses and attendants, he said.

Sri Lanka has 30,000 nurses, 14,000 labourers, 18,000 doctors, 15,000 RMPs and AMPs and 4,000 paramedics, he said.

The traditional perception of parents was that there sons or daughters should get Government jobs because it was pensionable and prestigious, he said.

Minister de Silva said, that around 100,000 young men and women expect Government jobs each year. Although almost all State organizations had no vacancies, trade unions continued to agitate for more recruitment. The reason for seeking Government jobs was that employees could idle, had more independence with light responsibilities, and qualified for a pension till death.