Forty ambulances for NCP hospitals

by Mohammed Naalir

The North Central Province (NCP) Health Ministry will purchase 40 ambulances to be distributed among rural hospitals in the province, NCP Health Minister H.P. Semasinghe said.

There are 40 rural hospitals in the province. As these hospitals suffer from a shortage of resources, the villagers undergo immense difficulties in receiving treatment. Hospital management also undergo immense difficulties in transferring patients to general or teaching hospitals for further treatment, the Minister said.

All these hospitals should be developed while improving their facilities to provide a satisfactory service to OPD and indoor patients, Semasinghe said.

Under the first phase, plans are afoot to provide ambulances to these hospitals, he said.The ambulances currently used are in bad condition and can be used no longer. A large sum of money will be required to repair these ambulances.

Therefore, the provincial Health Ministry will purchase 40 ambulances, according to Semasinghe.Moves are under way to raise funds from the Health Ministry. Immediately after receiving funds, the ambulances will be purchased and distributed to rural hospitals, he said.