New Hospital opens in Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 12 July 2006, 00:10 GMT]
The inauguration ceremony of the new General Hospital in Kilinochchi district, was held Monday 10, July 2006 at 11.30 a.m. presided by Kilinochchi district health services officer, Dr. Nandakumar, sources in Kilinochchi said. The hospital building on the main A9 Road in Anandapuram, Kilinochchi built with Rs. 600m funding assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) was opened by Deputy Head of Liberation Tigers Political Wing, S Thangan who was the chief guest. The first phase of 200 beds, of a planned 600 bed facility, is now in operation and open to the public, hospital sources said.

The opening event began with a ceremonial parade led by traditional Tamil music band with dignitaries and guests taken in procession round the main hospital complex.

The new General hospital has both Out-patient and In-patient departments complete with Pediatric, Maternity, Surgical, Public Health and Disease Control sections, a Pharmacy and a Dental clinic in addition to research facilities and a blood bank.

Dr. S Kuharajah welcomed the dignitaries, guests, doctors, employees and the public followed by an address by S. Thangan.



Dr. K Nandakumar said the decision to build a hospital in Kilinochchi was made by a previous Kilinochchi district health services officer, Dr. Sathiamoorthy and the Government Agent (GA) Mr. Rasanayagam with a proposal for funding from ADB.

He complimented Mr. Illankainesan a project director in NECORD for his perseverance in completing the present first phase in record time. He expressed his hopes that the two future phases of the planned 600 bed facility will be completed without much delay.

Dr. Nandakumar said that furniture for the new facility from NECORD and the promised delivery of medical equipment by the Canadian Red Cross would arrive soon as anticipated.



Dr. Nandakumar stated that the most pressing issue facing the hospital is the shortage of doctors.

He requested the GA to make arrangements for medical specialists to make regular visits to the facility. Without the needed doctors patients have to suffer the inconvenience of travelling to the Jaffna General Hospital or to the Vavuniya Hospital. Ambulances are forced to make five to six trips a day, he said.

He praised nursing staff and other hospital employees for their dedication in enabling existing hospitals to provide adequate levels of medical services during difficult times. He said the GA should take appropriate action to improve the facilities in these hospitals to bring them on par with the new hospital.

He cited the absence of a geriatric facility as one of the shortcomings.

Earlier Dr. Nandakumar presented the hospital document, also at the opening the first patient to the new facility was given treatment.



Mr. Nandakumar said for the new hospital to function effectively cooperation of the people as well as the staff from other supporting sectors is crucial.