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Govt spends over Rs 800 m annually:
No nutritious food to patients
Nadira Gunatilleke
The contractors who undertake to supply food to hospitals do not
provide quality food with required standard and nutrition. Health
Ministry spends over Rs 800 million annually on meals given for the
patients who receive in-house medical treatment in State hospitals
(comes under the line Ministry), a Health Ministry spokesman said.
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Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena talks with a patient
during the inspection tour to Aniyakanda Hospital. |
According to the spokesman, Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena has
discovered this during a recent inspection tour to inspect kitchens of
Aniyakanda State hospital and Leprosy Hospital.
During the inspection tours the Minister received many complaints
from the in-house patients on food given to them.
The patients had told the Minister that they were given food without
any nutrition and taste.
Minister Sirisena explained to them that the State spends over Rs 800
million annually on food. The 2009 food cost was Rs 878 million. The
Government spent Rs 329 million on food for this year by June and the
total cost will be Rs 780 million. This is only for the food provided by
State hospitals which comes under the Central Government.
The Minister promised to take action and solve their food issue.
After inspecting hospital kitchens Sirisena ordered hospital
authorities to inspect the food daily and make sure that the contractors
supply quality and nutritious food for the in-house patients.
The Minister also stated that even mental patients can understand the
low quality of food, there is no point of talking about the quality of
food provided for other patients. |
