Sri Lanka beats UK in hospital hi-tech use

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

Sri Lankan State sector hospitals use more modern hi-tech medical equipment than in the United Kingdom. This number is 80,000.

Only 61,000 modern hi-tech medical equipment are used in hospitals in the UK, a survey conducted by the Bio Engineering Medical Unit of the Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry revealed, a Ministry spokesman said.

The spokesman said the survey was conducted on modern hi-tech medical equipment used in Sri Lankan State hospitals since 2005.

Since President Mahinda Rajapaksa became the President, the State hospitals have been using 80,000 modern hi-tech medical equipment.

The Sri Lankan State health sector which offers free health service has been using 19,000 additional modern hi-tech medical equipment than in the UK which has a privatised and well developed health service. China will offer a free healthcare service to the country by 2025.

The Sri Lanka’s State health sector has offered free health service since 1934 and it is 75 years old now. The Government was able to add 80,000 modern equipment to the State health sector with the financial provision of the treasury, INGOs, foreign Governments and other organizations. These modern hi-tech medical equipment include latest MRI scanners, CT scanners, X-Ray units etc.

The Sri Lankan Government spends millions of rupees annually to maintain these equipment and spends Rs 50 million per year to maintain the Linear Accelerator System of the Maharagama Cancer Hospital. Every year the Government increased the amount of funds allocated for the National Health budget by Rs 20 million and last year it was increased up to over 250 billion (for 2010). In addition the Ministry has already built many building complexes for almost all State hospitals and majority of them are over five floors.