Provide facilities to rural hospitals

by Ananda KANNANGARA

It is reported that many rural hospitals in the country lack of basic facilities. Some hospitals do not have even the essential medical equipment and also medicine. As a result, the majority poor patients will undergo immense hardships.

When the Sunday Observer interviewed people on this matter, Ex. Health Minister in a Provincial Council, Amaradasa Ranabahu said that no Government could provide all necessary equipment to every hospital in the country.

However, he proposed to the authorities to conduct mobile medical services with the necessary equipment in rural hospitals at least two days a week to provide health facilities to needy people.

He also said he proposed such a scheme during his tenure to the then President, but the Health Ministry’s response was negative.

“Therefore, I would again request the Health Ministry to take steps to conduct mobile medical services with specialist doctors in rural hospitals countrywide for the benefit of poor villagers”.

An expectant mother, A. Subashini said she usually seek medical advice from De Zoysa Maternity Hospital in Colombo and thanked the staff including the doctors and nurses for the excellent service they rendered to patients.

“I have nothing to complain regarding the services provided in this hospital, since there are no shortcomings.

However, she said the majority of pregnant mothers in her village are in the habit of coming to Colombo for medical advice due to the lack of facilities in the village hospital.

She therefore urged authorities to set up maternity clinics in every hospital to serve pregnant women.

Businessman, Karunaratna de Silva of Bulathkohupitiya requested the Health Ministry to set up separate clinics at every rural hospital to treat snakebite victims.

He said when snakebite victims are brought to the Radawana rural hospital in Bulathkohupitiya they are sent to the Kegalle Base hospital, saying that anti-venom injections were not available.

He therefore emphasised the importance of setting up clinics for snakebite victims at rural hospitals, especially at snake infested areas in the country.

Recalling a recent incident, he said two farmers who were brought to the Radawana hospital following snakebite died due to the non availability of anti-venom injections.

Lalantha Jayathilaka who was waiting outside at the Castle Street Maternity Home around 8 p.m. to see his wife wanted the hospital authorities to provide lodging to the husbands of pregnant mothers at night in the hospital premises.

“Lodging facilities inside the hospital premises are needed for at least one member of a family of pregnant woman in case of emergency situations”.

Resident of Badulla District, Provincial Councillor, Sunil Manawadu complained that the Koslanda District Hospital in the Uva Province lacks expensive drugs and as a result poor patients will have to purchase drugs from private pharmacies.

“Although we have complained about this matter to the Uva Provincial Council, there was no positive response”.

He said residents in the village are of the view that some doctors in the Koslanda Hospital do not take any interest in this regard as long as they are engaged in private practice.

A pregnant mother, P. Manoranjani wanted the Health Ministry to set up even small maternity clinics at every rural hospital, so that the congestion in hospitals in major cities could be minimised.

A PHI in the Health Department, Rohan Amirthanayagam of Kandy urged the Health Department authorities to focus special attention towards the Balagalla Base Hospital which is located in a very remote area in the Kandy District. He said the hospital lacks basic facilities, including a mortuary, a surgical unit and an operation theatre.

“Over 150 families in the village usually treated at the hospital and some people come from very distant villages.”

He therefore, requested the authorities to upgrade the hospital as early as possible.

Dayananda Weerasinghe wanted the Government to appoint a permanent registrar at every maternity hospital, so that it will be very easy for mothers to register their new born babies without difficulties.

He said sometimes mothers will have to stay in the hospital another two days or more until the registrar’s arrival.

A resident of Kolonnawa wanted the Government to upgrade the Mulleriyawa Hospital in the Western Province.

He said due to the lack of facilities in this hospital, a large number of patients have to visit Colombo, Kalubowila or Jayawardanapura hospitals.

Resident in Horana, Siva Kumarage wanted the Health authorities to upgrade the Pitabeddara Government Hospital by setting up a dental clinic. “As there is no dental clinic in the hospital, private dentists earn money lavishly from poor patients.”

Professor in a Southern Province University R. M. Sudumenike requested the Health authorities to visit China and look into the development of mobile medical schemes.

“Not only in China but also in Thailand mobile medical service programs are rendering an invaluable service to people in rural areas where there are no permanent hospitals.

Shop owner, Pushpalatha Vidanagama of Badulla asked the Health Department to upgrade the Hopton Rural Estate Hospital which is located about 25 km away from the city. He said the hospital which cater large number of estate workers has only two doctors and a few nurses. “As there is no ambulance in the hospital, patients face immense hardships,” she said.

A. A. Karunaratna of Colombo complained that doctors in some hospitals in Colombo prescribe expensive medicine and asked poor patients to buy them at private pharmacies.

He therefore urged the authorities to look into the matter and provide ample stock of drugs to hospitals without troubling the patients. M. S. Najubdeen of Kalawana District Hospital in Ratnapura said “Some doctors in our hospital do not perform their duties well, on some days they come late since they pay more attention towards private practice.

Dr. Gamunu Sarathchandra of Weliveriya wanted the Health Department to deploy flying squads to nab doctors who do not perform their duties well.

He said some doctors are in the habit of taking tablets, bandages, plasters and cotton to their private medical centres.

CTB driver, Sumanasiri Weerakoon of Niyagama Rural Hospital in the Southern Province requested the authorities to deploy a surgeon to perform urgent surgernies.

Dental Surgeon, Kanchana Nugawela of Kandy wanted the authorities to install an Exray machine in the Lunuwatta Central Dispensary in the Badulla District. Estate employee, Rangiri Kamalawathi of Horton plantations in Ratnapura wanted the Government to provide the services of a Gynaecologist.

She said some pregnant mothers have to travel a distance of about 20 kms to consult a VOG.