Kalawanchikudi Hospital to be upgraded with JICA assistance

Ridma Dissanayake

The Health Ministry has decided to upgrade the Kalawanchikudi Hospital to a base hospital with the assistance of Japan International

Cooperation Agency (JICA), a Health Ministry spokesman told the Daily News, yesterday.

"JICA has already agreed to spend Rs.500 million on this development project which is to be launched to upgrade the Kalawanchikudi Hospital," he added.

The basic discussion to develop the Kalawanchikudi Hospital as a base hospital was held at the Kalawanchikudi Hospital yesterday, under the patronage of Health Ministry Secretary Dr.Nihal Jayathilake.

The JICA is to provide Rs. four billion to the Health Ministry to upgrade Sri Lanka's health sector. The development projects have already been launched with the financial assistance of JICA and they are to be completed in 2014. The Ministry has planned to spend Rs. two billion from this fund to develop the four rural hospitals in Sri Lanka. As the first part of this project, the Kalawanchikudi Hospital will be upgraded as a base hospital. Three rural hospitals Galgamuwa, Teldeniya and Warakapola are to be also upgraded under this programme, the spokesman said. The Health Ministry is to spend Rs.500 million for the development activities of the each of the hospitals. The Beliatta Hospital will also to be upgraded as a Maternal and Children's Hospital while the Moneragala Hospital will also be modernized. Medical equipment will also be provided to Hambantota, Tissamaharama and Karawanella base hospitals. Selected hospitals will be provided medical equipment. Around 124 ambulances will be given to rural hospitals, he said.