Specialist doctors service for rural poor

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

The Health Ministry has launched a special program to bring the service of specialist doctors to the difficult and rural areas of the country.

The program was launched yesterday by holding several free medical camps at Welikanda with specialist doctors in attendance, a Health Ministry spokesman said.

According to the spokesman the program will cover all difficult and rural areas, the people from far away villages have to travel to Colombo spending time and money to obtain the services of specialist doctors.

Meanwhile, Ministry took over Polonnaruwa Hospital to develop it under the Ministry's hospital development project. Tangalle Hospital too will be taken over shortly.

Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena handed over modern medical equipment worth Rs four million to Polonnaruwa Hospital to mark the launching of the development program.

Only 17 State hospitals function under the purview of the Ministry and all other State hospitals come under Provincial Councils.

The Ministry is now in the process of developing one State hospital from each district with all modern facilities.