Govt to re-open 97 rural hospitals
Rasika Somarathna
The government is set to re-open 97 rural state hospitals that had
been closed down for years due to lack of manpower and other resources.
These include 80 hospitals in the Northern and Eastern Provinces
which were non-functional during a large part of the last 30 years, due
to terrorist activities.
In addition 17 other dilapidated rural state hospitals in Kandy and
Hambantota districts are to be renovated and equipped to serve the
public, according to a directive issued by Health Minister Maithripala
Sirisena.
According to a ministry spokesman around 270 new doctors are set to
join the state health sector next month and a majority of them will be
posted to the above hospitals. According to him, these hospitals would
also be fully-equipped and geared to meet any eventuality.
Also all upgraded hospitals would be fully-functional before the end
of the year.
"It is the view of the minister that the heavy congestion seen in
major state hospitals is largely due to lack of resources in smaller and
rural hospitals."
"His view is that these rural hospitals over the years have not
developed in comparison to major provincial hospitals. Thus his
intention is to expand the rural healthcare system to reduce the strain
on bigger provincial hospitals," the Ministry spokesman said.
According to the Health Ministry, the percentage of patients who
sought medical care from state hospitals has increased by 20 percent in
past three years. |
