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| Sunday, 1 January 2006 |
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Modernised maternity hospital in Galle soon by Elmo Leonard in Galle The foundation stone was laid last week for the proposed 850-bed, Helmut Kohl Maternity Hospital, in Karapitiya, Galle. The Hospital will be linked to an up-to-date maternity hospital in Germany, with interchange of doctors, medical staff and equipment. The funds needed, will come from a grant of $35 million (Rs 3.5 billion), from the Helmut Kohl, Foundation, the people and Rotary of Germany. The new hospital will replace the maternity home in Galle, which was washed away by the tsunami a year ago. This medical centre will also maintain links with other maternity hospitals in the south of the island, Minister of Healthcare and Nutrition, Nimal Siripala de Silva said. Former German Chancellor, Helmut Kohl was holidaying in Sri Lanka when the Asian tsunami struck, to be rescued. Stunned by the destruction, Kohl promised to build a maternity hospital in the south, and the deal was clinched by Minister Siripala de Silva. Karapitiya, in the environ of Galle is highly populous. Tea, rubber, coconut, cinnamon and rice are among agricultural produce. Industries, small and large thrive, here. Galle, in the south of the island was a fitting place for the setting up of the planned hospital; in gratitude for the people of the south who believed in the Mahinda Chinthanaya and voted for Mahinda Rajapaksa in the recently concluded presidental election, Minister Siripala de Silva said. Germany has over the years been a willing partner in the development of Sri Lanka, and had contributed immensely towards health, education and water supply, the health minister said. Dr Stephen Falkner, joint coordinator for the Helmut Kohl Foundation in Sri Lanka said that Helmut Kohl held great sympathy towards the victims and survivors of the tsunami. The proposed hospital was an act of fraternal love from the people of Germany, to the people of Sri Lanka. The German Ambassador in Sri Lanka, Juergen Weerth said that the Asian tsunami struck, on the morning of a very promising full moon day. Then, the ocean which hitherto had been a mighty treasure for the people of Sri Lanka, took away at least 35,000 lives and left millions of others without shelter. Referring to what had been achieved since the tsunami, and also, the peace process which binds a halt in hostilities between the Tamil militants and the government forces, envoy Weerth said that it was no point in having run three laps well. The fourth lap must also be run, with great sacrifice on the part of Sri Lankans to make the island a safer place for all to live in, and for tourism to thrive, he said. Governor of the Southern Province, Kingsley T Wickramaratne said that Hulmet Kohl had described the tsunami to the Second World War, when the allied forces were bombarding Berlin. One in five Germans have visited Sri Lanka, some on several occasions, enhancing tourism in the island, Wickramaratne said. The largest percentage of tourists to Sri Lanka before and after the unification of Germany, remains German and their favourite location is the south of the island. Thus, when the tsunami struck, Germany children gone into the country to collect funds for the tsunami victims. The Karapitiya hospital will also serve as a nurses training centre, Wickramaratne said. Prime Minister Rathnasiri Wickramanayaka said that the donation of the
Helmut Kohl hospital was a honour to the people and government of Sri Lanka.
Following the tsunami, rescue efforts by Sri Lankans were carried out
irrespective of race, caste, creed or other bias, Premier Wickremanayaka
said. |
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