Health and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva has ordered the Acting Director General of Health Services Dr. Ajith Mendis to submit a full report within two days on the amputation of the left hand of a 14-month-old girl, who was transferred to the Colombo National Hospital from the Kandy hospital on October 20.

De Silva told The Island that the 14-month-old child, Sewmini Udashika Kumari, had been transferred to the Kandy hospital from the Galagedara hospital last week as she was suffering from Pneumonia. The patient was being given injections but on the fourth day she had developed severe swellings on her left hand.

He said that the health authorities of Kandy hospital had transferred the child to Colombo National hospital on October 20 although Kandy hospital had been provided with all medical equipment and drugs to treat any kind of patient. The medical experts at the Colombo National hospital had recommended amputating the girl’s left hand as it was the only solution to save her life.

Referring to the alleged maladministration of hospitals, Minister de Silva emphasised that the hospital administration in Government hospitals left much to be desired.

It was just like an abandoned ship in the middle of the sea and the degeneration of hospital administration could be attributed to doctor-nurse domination of hospital administration, he said.

De Silva noted that with effect from next year "Patient Transfer Policy" would be implemented in all Government hospitals, especially for the Galle, Matara, Kurunegala and Kandy hospitals which were in the habit of transferring patients to the Colombo National hospital despite the fact that these hospitals had also been provided with required medical equipment and drugs.