"Even during the humanitarian operation, the government sent essential items including food and medicine to the entire North and the East including terrorist controlled areas," President said addressing the International Nurses Day ceremony and the Florence Nightingale memorial event held at Temple Trees yesterday.

Sri Lanka is the only country which fed even the LTTE terrorists while engaging in a humanitarian operation to eradicate terrorism, President Rajapaksa added.
Addressing the gathering of hundreds of nurses, the President said the government has been able to safeguard rights of the nurses.

"During the tenure of this government, the professional dignity of the nurses service has been safeguarded," he said.

He added that the government also expects a high quality service from the nurses as well.