India requests Govt to take over Cheddikulam Hospital

India has requested the government to take over the Indian hospital at Cheddikulam, Vavuniya that was set up to meet the emergent needs of internally displaced arrivals at Menik Farms six months ago India has successfully completed the mission of treatment to the needy.

Indian High Commissioner in Colombo, Alok Prasad, on behalf of the Indian government, in a letter addressed to Health and Nutrition Minister, Nimal Siripala de Silva stated-”Since most of the emergent needs of the new arrivals in Menik Farms have now been met, it is our intention to withdraw the Indian medical team and close down the hospital with effect from 31 August 2009.

Since a very useful facility has been set up and the physical infrastructure of the hospital will remain in place, you may like to consider that the hospital may be taken over by the Ministry of Health on August 31,2009-”.

High Commissioner Alok Prasad had thanked the Health Ministry for the excellent cooperation extended to the Indian medical team and had added that the Indian medical team would be leaving after over six months stay in Sri Lanka having provided excellent services to the full satisfaction of both governments.

The Indian medical team arrived in the island on March 10, 2009 and set up a hospital in Pulmoddai to receive medical evacuees being brought by ship through the ICRC.

After the change in conditions, it was agreed upon by the two Governments that the medical team and the hospital would shift to IDP camps in Menik Farms to cater to the medical requirements of IDPs who had started arriving in large numbers, the Indian High Commissioner recalled. And with the cooperation of the Ministry of Health and other agencies of the Colombo government, a very effective facility had been set up in Zone 1 Menik Farm that has functioned since May 26, 2009.