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New hospital complex lacks basic facilities
Sunday, 4 September 2005 - 5:31 AM SL Time
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The new complex of the Ragama National Hospital is facing severe problems with regard to sanitary facilities and other basic necessities of patients who are admitted to the hospital.
Two wards of the complex which are reserved for maternity cases have only one toilet available for the approximately 120 patients who can be accommodated in them. The taps leak and some electricity wires are exposed with no repairs effected since the inception.
According to patients and medical sources four toilets each in the two wards remained closed since February. The toilets are barricaded as they have not been completed.
They said only one toilet is in use and that is the toilet used by the staff.
They said patients have to stand in a queue to answer a call of nature. They also said that before surgery a patient has to be given a bath for which too there is a queue.
They said that before patients are taken for surgery they have to be given an enema on the previous day which is very often given to about four patients at a time. They said that in these circumstances the patients are placed in great inconvenience due to the lack of toilets. In addition patients after surgery have to walk downstairs from the operating theatre to ward 24 to answer a call of nature.
The drainage system is in such a bad state that the walls are damp and leaking. When Mr. H.A.M.P.K. Algama, the managing director of the company which undertook the work at the hospital was contacted he said that though he estimated Rs. 12 million was required at the commencement, unforeseen work had put the cost up. He is now in communication with the Health Ministry to get the tender value enhanced.
Health Ministry Deputy Director General Logistics H.A. Ariyadasa said the Ministry had verbally agreed with Mr. Algama on August 31 that the tender value could be enhanced by 10% to meet the increased cost but that the work has to be expedited as the hospital was in need of the facilities urgently.
Last year 6417 patients were admitted to ward 24 and 5695 patients to ward 25.
This hospital not only serves Gampaha district patients but also patients from Chilaw Puttalam and other districts.
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magha
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Joined: Feb 2005
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4 Sep 2005 23:10:09 GMT Report for Abuse
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So making four toilets for two wards in a New hospital complex is a decision that can not be taken without making patients lives miserable in Ragama Sri Lanka in year 2005?
When it comes to toilets I remember once watching a BBC documentary about Tamil tigers in UK in early 90's. A Tamil speaker was addressing some young militants brain washing them with a toilet myth. He was saying that Colombo schools had marble floors in their toilets. I too went to one of the leading Singhalese Buddhist schools and did not see such luxury but had seen some graffiti written about Prince Dutu Gamunu ,what he did to Velu Sumana upon his return from the battle from Vijitha Pura. In 1998 I was visiting Sri Lanka the year we 'proudly' celebrated the 50 years of Independence from British. Old boys of my Alma Mata annually hold a health camp for past and present teachers and since I was in town received an invitation to join the old buddies and see our old teachers. The schools of course had changed and I had the privileged to use the new boys room the old boys association had built for the school. My friend who showed me the new facility was quite embarrassed when we entered because of the smell. It was the same old fashion men's toilet aiming to the wall with no automatic flushing system. There were no marblefloors either. So in the end of the 20 th century in one of the leading public Schools of Sri Lanka old boys including, Doctors, engineers, lawyers, businessmen, high ranking military officials made a toilet for the school boys which stunk as the politics they represented. Tamil tigers were wrong to say about the marble floors but they probably equally stink as theirs.
Edited By - magha - 5 Sep 2005 04:54:35 GMT |
anizam
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Joined: Mar 2005
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4 Sep 2005 23:16:19 GMT Report for Abuse
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Magha:
Not that this really matters, but i remember exactly what documentary you are talking about - the BBC documentary about the sucide bombers and i remember very well that comment about Marbel floors. :) I recorded that and i still have a copy of it :) :)
Cheers |
malship
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1194
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5 Sep 2005 14:00:51 GMT Report for Abuse
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| Anizam: this must be the most cherished possession in your pathetic life. |
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