Plans to perform 1,000 surgeries annually at Kandy heart unit

Nadira Gunatilleke

COLOMBO: There is a notable difference between the Opposition leader’s ‘Kollupitiya Chinthanaya’ and President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s ‘Medamulana Chinthanaya’, Healthcare and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said.

Addressing the gathering after opening new heart unit built at Rs.860 million at Kandy Teaching Hospital, Minister De Silva said that according to Kollupitiya Chinthanaya, unemployment of the country increased putting the people into great difficulties but according to the Medamulana Chinthanaya, priority has been given to develop all the sectors while spending billions of rupees to combat the worst terrorism existent in the world.

Minister De Silva said that the main difference between Kollupitiya Chinthanaya and Medamulana Chinthanaya is while Kollupitiya Chinthanaya neglected National security, Medamulana Chinthanaya is focused on ensuring National Security.

Explaining the present condition of Sri Lanka’s health sector Minister De Silva said that all heart specialists gather in Colombo and do not want to serve in other areas of the country because they do not get much private practice in such areas.

But nowadays the number of doctors who are dedicated to their service is on the rise which is a healthy sign for the health sector. If Sri Lanka implemented the anti Alcohol and Drug Act 25 years ago the number of heart, kidney and cancer patients could have been reduced by 60 percent.

Arrangements will be made to cut down existing waiting lists for heart surgeries by performing 1000 heart surgeries annually at the newly opened unit at Kandy Teaching Hospital. Priority will be given to child heart patients, added the Minister. Two theatres, one dependency unit with 16 beds and four wards with 160 beds were also opened at the same time.