SLA to construct new access road to Tellipallai hospital

[TamilNet, Saturday, 16 July 2005, 23:39 GMT]
Mr.Tyronne Fernando, North East Governor Saturday declared open the renovated Tellipalai District Hospital and commissioned the newly installed Cobalt Cancer Treatment Plant in the cancer unit of the hospital. Meanwhile, a decision was taken at a conference held in Sri Lanka Army Jaffna headquarters in Palaly and attended by the Mr.Tyronne Fernando and Major General Sunil Tennekoon, Jaffna SLA commander, to open a new access road to the Cancer Treatment Unit enabling the patients and employees to have easy access to the hospital, sources said.

Tellipalai DH and Cancer Treatment Unit are located in the high security zone. Currently patients and employees of the hospital use Kankesanthurai highway via Tellipalai junction. The decision to open a new access road to Cancer Unit was taken following several complaints from patients and relatives of harassment by soldiers manning checkpoints at Tellipalai junction, sources said.

Army engineering unit has commenced work on the construction of the access road and it would be completed shortly, said Dr.P.Ketheeswaran, Deputy Director of Health Services in Jaffna district who was also associated in the discussion held in Palaly army base, sources said.



Mr.Tyronne Fernando, North East Governor declared open the renovated Tellipalai District Hospital, 16 July 2005.

Mr.S.Rangarajah, Chief Secretary of the North East Provincial Council (NEPC), Major General Sunil Tennekon, Mr.S.Amirthalingam, Governor's Secretary, Dr. Jeganathan, Consultant in the Ministry of Health for northeast province, Mr.S.Sivathasan and Mr.S.Sivananthan, Consultants of the Ministry of Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Resettlement, Mr.S.Sivasamy, Jaffna Additional Government Agent and Ms Thangamma Appakutty and religious leaders of all faiths participated in the opening event, sources said.

Mr.Tyronne Fernando said with the commissioning of the Cancer Treatment Unit. there is no need for cancer patients in the peninsula and close by areas to go to Maharagama Cancer Hospital in Colombo'

Tellipalai district hospital was constructed in 1972 and the Cancer Treatment Unit in 1983. Both units were destroyed in 1990 military operation.