Additional beds from State hospitals for civilians

The Government has made arrangements to allocate 1,000 beds from other state hospitals for patients rescued from the LTTE under President Mahinda Rajapaksa's direction. This is in addition to treatment and space made available in State hospitals in the North and East, Healthcare and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said.

Addressing a UPFA press briefing in Colombo yesterday, Minister de Silva said the Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry has sent 300 doctors and 550 nurses to treat patients and has also appointed 200 intern doctors in the area.

Discussions have been held to obtain two mobile hospitals with 1000 beds in each, the Minister said.

According to Minister de Silva there should be a strong opposition in a country to strengthen democracy." All negative impacts of the the preferential system cannot be washed out at once.

Around 3,000 UNPers joined the UPFA during the last UPFA meeting in Dehiwala", he said.

"We should celebrate our victory by taking very good care of our own community and assisting them. The UPFA does not believe in violence. A UPFA victory is certain.

The best way of celebrating that victory is assisting the civilians escaping the LTTE," the Minister said .

Minister de Silva said election violence has come down drastically in the present when comparing with the past. NG