Fifty eight hospitals being reconstructed

BY BHARATHA Malawaraarachchi

NEARLY 58 hospitals and health institutions damaged in last year's tsunami are being re-constructed at a cost of around Rs 9.3 billion.

The reconstruction and rehabilitation are being carried out by the Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry in collaboration with local and international donor agencies and organisations.

Earlier, the Ministry estimated that around Rs 9,340 million will be required to reconstruct and rehabilitate the hospitals and health institutions.

The tsunami damaged hospitals and other health institutions are along the coastal belt. Out of this, hospitals in Kalutara, Galle, Matara, Hambantota and the North-East provinces were badly afected.

Some hospitals were totally washed away and only a few blocks of buildings were left. Among those destroyed are two general hospitals, 12 district hospitals, three rural hospitals, 13 central dispensaries and 14 District Medical Officers' offices.

According to statistics, six health institutions in Trincomalee, 12 in Batticaloa, 13 in Ampara, four in Mullaitivu, two in Jaffna, seven in Matara, 13 in Galle and one in Kalutara were affected by the tsunami.

The Health Ministry has entered into agreements with local and international organisations and funding agencies on the reconstruction of these hospitals.

"Following discussions with Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva, these organisations have entered into agreements to re-build these health institutions. Further agreements have been signed. They will continue the reconstruction and development of the affected hospitals and health institutions," a Ministry spokesman added.

The funds will be allocated for the reconstruction on district basis. Accordingly, Rs 2,056 million will be spent for the reconstruction in Galle district, Rs. 8 million for Kalutara, Rs 1,605 million for Trincomalee, Rs 1,440 million for Batticaloa, Rs 2124 million for Ampara, Rs 146 million for Killinochchi, Rs 743 million for Mullaitivu, Rs 186 million for Jaffna, Rs 221 million for Hambantota and Rs 521 million for Matara.

"The re-construction work on these health institutions and hospitals are in progress. The Ministry plans to complete them by next year," the spokesman added.