First Lady to Launch Lifeline SOS

Lifeline SOS a community service project initiated by the Rotary Club of Colombo West to support the Anuradhapura Renal Care and Renal Research Centre by providing urgently required medical equipment amounting to Rs. 60 million was inaugurated by First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa on December 7.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa in a special message to mark the occasion said 'I consider it my responsibility to preserve the free health service and safeguard the right of every citizen for the benefits there under.

In this regard, immediate action will be taken to enhance these services both qualitatively and quantitatively through increased budgetary provisions.

This programme will consist of two aspects namely, curative and preventive. Both aspects would be accorded equal priority'.

The North Central Province of Sri Lanka, with a population of 1.2 million, mainly impoverished villagers, has recorded an extremely high incidence of Chronic Kidney Diseases (CKD) and End State Renal Failure (ESRF) resulting in unprecedented levels of fatalities among all ages. Approximately 20% of patients are classified as the 'end-stage patients' of which 80% die due to lack of proper medical care. Over 2000 patients receive treatment of newly setup make-shift clinics daily. Of this number, approximately 700 to 800 patients are declared critically ill and are in urgent need of further treatment.