Health Care

During the last four years, the number of doctors increased up to 12,193 with the recruitment of 900 new medical officers and 301 medical officers were given opportunities to participate in foreign postgraduate degree programmes, to overcome problems of dearth of specialists. A new programme to recruit 15000 new nurses was implemented in 2005. Accordingly, the number in the staff of nursing officers has increased up to 24,459 in 2009. The number of beds in government hospitals was increased up to 5000 under the programmes of development of infrastructure in state hospitals. The expenditure on medical drugs was increased from Rs.7100 mn in 2005 to Rs. 14000 mn by 2009. A new cardiothoracic unit and a STD unit were established in the Kandy teaching hospital. A new theatre complex is also being constructed in this hospital. The total cost of the project was Rs. 340 mn.

A new Maternity Ward complex was constructed in the Kurunegala Teaching Hospital. The construction of new cardiology and oncology units in this hospital also commenced. The total cost of the project was Rs. 413 mn. A new linear accelerator machine was provided to the Maharagama Cancer Hospital at a cost of Rs. 610 mn. A new ward complex and a computerized radio therapy unit were also established in this hospital. Construction commenced on a fully-fledged hospital at Godagama for the people in the Southern Province at a total cost of Rs.1000 mn.

A new project commenced to modernize the Anuradapura general hospital at a cost of Rs. 2000 mn. Under this project a new ward complex, unit for renal diseases, public waiting hall and a canteen are being constructed. A new oncology unit, blood bank and a drug store were constructed in the Badullla General Hospital at a cost of Rs. 140 mn. The construction of a new building in this hospital was completed at cost of Rs.400 mn. It consists of an outpatient department, clinics, operating theatres and ICU. A new nurses’ training school attached to the Ampara General Hospital was constructed at a cost of Rs.350 mn accommodating an additional 400 nursing students for training.

A new maternity ward and administrative unit were constructed at cost of Rs. 28 mn in the Nuwara Eliya District Hospital. A new Orthopaedic ward and a CT scan unit were constructed in the Batticaloa Teaching Hospital at a cost of Rs. 100 mn in order to upgrade the health facilities in the Eastern Province. A new maternity ward and an auditorium were constructed in the Peradeniya Teaching Hospital at a cost of Rs. 25 mn. A new ward complex was
constructed in the National Hospital at a cost of Rs. 375 mn. This immensely reduced the overcrowding in the hospital. Construction on a new ward complex in order to improve the service delivery was commenced in the Ratnapura General Hospital at a cost of Rs.223 mn. A new nephrology unit at Maligawattha was constructed at a total cost of Rs. 405 mn to provide the treatments for the increasing number of renal patients. Rs. 864 mn worth of medical equipment was provided to the Kurunegala Teaching Hospital in order to improve the health care facilities in the North Western Province. A new Oncology unit was established in the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital at a cost of Rs.500 mn.

A new ward complex was set up in the Hambantota General Hospital at a cost of Rs. 247 mn. This building consists of a children’s ward, ENT unit and a theatre complex. A Neuro trauma unit attached to the National Hospital was constructed at a cost of Rs. 2137 mn in order to meet long-term requirements. Implementation of a number of programmes commenced to prevent Malaria, Dengue, TB, STDs/ AIDS, Leprosy, Filaria, through out the
island strengthening the preventive care services. The Tripoha subsidy is provided to 600,000 children under age five and breast feeding mothers, at a cost of Rs. 1350 mn annually, ensuring the creation of a healthy future generation.