Health Minister visits hospital:

Dengue mosquitoes at Karapitiya hospital

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena discovered dengue mosquitoes inside a theatre at Karapitiya Teaching Hospital during an inspection tour Monday. He will take legal action against the hospital authorities and appoint a special panel of officials from the Health Ministry to inspect the hospital, a Ministry spokesman said.

Minister Sirisena visited Karapitiya Teaching Hospital Monday to inspect the hospital after receiving several public complaints.

There were many dengue mosquito breeding sites within the hospital premises. Staff meetings had not been held during the past two years at Karapitiya Teaching Hospital and the hospital Director had not gone ward rounds (at least once) during the past two years.

Karapitiya Teaching Hospital is the main hospital in the Galle district. It is in a very bad condition with problems especially poor management, poorly maintained theatres and a dirty environment. The hospital is in a very unhygienic condition, sources said.