Daily News associates with patient survey

Edward Arambewala

COLOMBO: The Daily News medical page will associate with a patient survey at the Colombo National Hospital's OPD now being conducted by the hospital authorities to find out as to why patients from outstations are coming all the way by passing well-equipped and well-staffed hospitals in their areas, to the National Hospital's OPD to get treatment even for simple ailments such as coughs and cold incurring much expenses and inconveniences in travelling, when they could have easily got it done avoiding all that trouble and expense by going to the hospitals in their areas.

Health Watch met Deputy Director Dr. Rani Fernando of the NHC on Monday with Dr. Viraj Peramuna M.O. OPD who is a member of our (Health Watch) Medical Advisory Panel and final year (Colombo Medical Faculty) student Kelum Palpola and discussed the role we are going to play in this survey and study.

Dr. Rani Fernando while thanking and appreciating Daily News and the Health Watch for coming forward on our own to assist media wise in this survey, decided to commence it on September 27 at 10 a.m. at the OPD where the Hospital Director Dr. Hector Weerasinghe and she with Dr. Viraj Peramuna Dr. J. Abeysundera MOIC OPD Medical student Kelum Palpola and several other doctors will distribute survey forms to the patients from outstations where the relevant questions are asked from them to fillup and handover to the OPD authorities.

Daily News and the Health Watch will also carry the queshinaire next week.