Minister intervenes to save IDH land

Nadira Gunatilleke

No politician or any other person will be allowed to grab State lands belonging to the Mulleriyawa Base Hospital (IDH Hospital) or any State land belong to any State hospital, said Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena.

Minister Sirisena said the Mulleriyawa Base Hospital is to be developed as the main State hospital in the Colombo East by 2015 and lands belonging to this hospital will be protected and developed.

Around 100 acres of land belong to the Mulleriyawa Base Hospital. Several politicians and other interest parties tried their best to seize these lands in the past in the guise of various ‘projects’. Arrangements will be made to ensure the safety of the land belonging to the hospital with the assistance of the police and the relevant Pradeshiya Sabha. “During last few months various persons requested lands from me.

As long as I hold the post of Health Minister, no one will be able to grab State lands belonging to State hospitals,” the Minister said.

At the moment this hospital provides treatment and care for AH1N1 patients.

The public call this hospital ‘Fever Hospital’ located at Gothatuwa. Minister commissioned an ECG Unit and many other modern medical equipment to the hospital and also opened the new blood bank and modernized children’s ward yesterday.