Kilinochchi hospital being rebuilt
Nadira Gunatilleke
Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry is now rebuilding the Kilinochchi
Base Hospital for the second time. It was completely destroyed by the
LTTE a few months back after the Ministry completely rebuilt it at a
cost of Rs.500 million, a Ministry spokesman said.
At present the Ministry is rebuilding the hospital to cater to 30,000
IDPs who have already been resettled in the area. The Ministry has plans
to obtain assistance from INGOs and foreign Governments for this
purpose.
The Ministry will supply 100 beds and Rs.1 million (to repair the
electricity circuit) within a few days. Ten doctors and 15 nurses will
also be assigned shortly. Arrangements will be made to provide all the
other modern medical equipment and facilities within six months and
bring the hospital to its original status. The Healthcare and Nutrition
Ministry rebuilt the hospital with the financial assistance of the Asian
Development Fund and provided all modern facilities including 275 beds,
around 40 nurses and 15 doctors just before the LTTE destroyed it.
The Kilinochchi hospital building complex was built in the same model
as the Colombo National Hospital.
Before the terrorists moved to Mullaitivu, they completely destroyed
the hospital and took away all medical equipment, beds and everything
with them. They destroyed the whole electricity circuit of the remaining
buildings before they left. At the moment only 10 beds remain in the
hospital.
The Ministry is in the process of rebuilding the state hospital
network, especially Jaffna Teaching Hospital at a cost of Rs.2850 m in
the North under `Uthuru Vasanthaya' program. |
