Sri Lankan health sector on top among developing nations — President

by Sanjeevi Jayasuriya
Sri Lanka has emerged at the top amongst developing countries in the health care sector and a sound policy is needed to develop it further, President Chandrika Kumaratunga said on Monday at the ceremonial opening of the new Asiri Surgical Hospital in Narahenpita. The private sector support in offering better health care facilities for the people of the country is welcomed by the government and plans were in store for effective assistance in this effort. Among them a health insurance scheme for all, decentralization of health care facilities and effective management of state hospitals, are being considered, she said.

The President said it was important to act as a people’s government that serves to solve problems and make this country a better place for future generations.

During the last four years private institutions had recorded much progress with the concessions granted by the government. Five private sector hospitals were built utilizing the facilities such as tax concessions and of state land, she added.

Sri Lanka has been congratulated by the world for the achievements in health and education, but for the past three decades we have fallen back in these two sectors, Kumaratunga observed. However, the President said that there was a long way to go and could not be fully satisfied with the progress made so far. The reason for the drawback is lack of studies made with regard to the changing needs of the society, she said.

More than 40% of the population live below the poverty line and the ratio was on the increase. The standard of living has an impact on health and good health is directly related to the level of development, the President said and called upon the private sector play an active role in providing health care facilities to the country.

The government encouraged the private sector investment in the health care sector and the new hospital was a step in the right direction, said the Minister of Health, Welfare and Nutrition P. Dayaratne. He commended the Asiri Hospital for taking the lead and the role in introducing modern technology to the country.

The Minister said that it was the moral duty and obligation of the hospital to charge reasonably from the sick despite of being profit oriented institution.

The ultra modern 14 storey Asiri Surgical Hospital has a 100 bed capacity. It provides the latest surgical facilities and specializes in every type of general and advanced surgery except cardiac surgery.

The medical services available includes orthopaedic, endoscopic and laparocopic surgery, oncology, neurology and advanced neurosurgery, eye and ENT treatment and surgery. There are four fully equipped operating theatres in the main operating suite, a day surgery theatre and an endoscopy room.

Our aim is to provide world class surgical care to people who are willing to pay for the best, as well as to lesser privileged patients, the Managing Director of Asiri Hospitals Group of Companies Ananda Wimalasena said. "We have installed the latest medical equipment and our 16 slice CT scanner is the most up to date model available in this part of South Asia at present", he said.