More facilities for estate population in Ratnapura

P.D.A.S. Gunasekera in Ratnapura

Some Estate Hospitals, in the Ratnapura district had already been taken over by the Provincial Ministry of Health for further development and several more would soon be brought under the Ministry to provide a uniform Estate and Village Health Service, taking into account the needs of both sectors, the Provincial Minister of Health, Lalith Dissanayake said at Ratnapura recently.

He said so addressing a session of the Plantation Human Development Trust of the Ratnapura region, held at the Samadhi Hall, New Town, Ratnapura recently.

The meeting, with the musical entertainments and stage-drama, was organized, under the instructions of the Regional Director PHDT K.C. Moonaweerahetti in appreciation of the services of the Estate Volunteers, to the labour gangs, for recovering and stabilizing their morale and strengthening their 'working-power'.

The healthcare and other related day-to-day requirements, fresh drinking water, toilet and housing facilities, childcare and protection, lighting and sports activities were part and parcel of both the Estates and Village life, Minister Lalith Dissanayake said. As the duties and the services of the Ministry and the Estate Human Management were practically the same. He was ready to take over some of the relevant fields of development under his Ministry, he said.

Besides, the Estates were a vital part of the economy of the country. Hence the importance of the development of the conditions of life of the Estate population, the source of the economic power, upon which the country depended for prosperity the Minister added.

Regional Director PHDT, K.C. Moonaweerahetti said that the PHDT under his guidance had already taken steps to upgrade 34 Child-Development Centres this year at a cost of Rs. 9.50 million under 34 projects in the estates covered by the programme, with all facilities.

Already 500 houses had been completed and another 500 were underway. Steps had also been taken to provide roofing sheets for 800 houses, within the year with 400 toilets scheduled to be completed before the end of the year.

He said that arrangements had been finalized to commence Oral-Cancer Control, T.B. Control and adolescent girls' health and nutritional programmes, in consultation with the Ministry of Health, in the Ratnapura region.