Medical equipment worth millions gifted

by Carol Aloysius

Life saving equipment worth millions of rupees has been gifted by the Health Ministry to the public during National Health Week which began on March 9 and concludes today.

"The quantity and value of the medical equipment given to several state hospitals on the instructions of Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena has set a new record and will save the lives of thousands of people who need them urgently", Health Ministry media spokesman W.A.D. Wanninayake told the Sunday Observer.

The ultra modern equipment includes CT Scan machines, dialysis machines and MRI machines.

He said 25 machines were presented to various hospitals from the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA), along with two MRI machines worth Rs. 500 million.

Eight CT scan machines worth Rs. 700 million were also gifted to eight leading hospitals including the Kalubowila Teaching Hospital, Teaching Hospital Ragama, and those in Ratnapura, Jaffna and Madakalapuwa.

One hundred and twenty four ambulances gifted by Japan were sent to seven emerging provinces to help transport critically ill patients in those regions.

Several awareness raising programs on dengue prevention and non communicable diseases were held to mark the Health Week.

"They were successfully carried out with the help of government and public institutions, to pave the way for a healthy nation", the spokesman said.