Thousands of people and outdoor cancer patients who receive treatment at the Galle Karapitiya Teaching Hospital, have to undergo hardships as the Cobalt Treatment Machine at the hospital has been malfunctioning for several weeks.
Karapitiya hospital is the only state medical institution in the Southern Province that has the facility for cobalt treatment for cancer. A technical officer had reported to the medical authorities about the condition of the machine six months ahead of the brake down to which they had not responded.
Cancer patients of the South have to travel to Maharagama and Badulla hospitals for treatment due to this.
Hospital Director Shelton Perera said that permission of the Atomic Energy Authority should be obtained to import the defective part of the machine.
"However, we have initiated arrangements to import the malfunctioning part of the cobalt machine from a European country. It will take about two to three months. It costs the ministry about Rs. 15 million, the Hospital Director said.
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