Primary Health Care Development Centres : H’tota gets 50 centres

Nadira Gunatilleke

The Health Ministry launched the Primary Health Care Development Centres setting up programme from the Hambantota district.

A total of 50 centres are to be set up in the Hambantota district. Under the first phase, two centres will be set up at a cost of Rs 7.5 million at Beliatta and Suriyawewa, a Health Ministry spokesman said.

The spokesman said the construction of Beliatta and Suriyawewa Primary Health Care Development Centres commenced recently with the participation of Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena, MPs Namal Rajapaksa and Uditha Lokubandara and Health Ministry Secretary Dr Nihal Jayatilleke.

Hambantota and Monaragala districts recorded the highest cases of malnutrition, infant mortality rate and maternal mortality rate earlier. It has now come down while malnutrition has decreased by 60 percent.

Minister Sirisena who launched the programme said Sri Lanka has already achieved high levels in international health indicators and the country’s life expectancy has increased as a result of the advancement of free health care system. Priority will be given to primary health care in the future to create a healthy nation, he said. “It was President Rajapaksa who gave equal attention to develop healthcare facilities in the entire country including in the North and East,” the minister said.

Nutrition packs were distributed among 300 pregnant mothers during the ceremony.