President Ranil Wickremesinghe says the government hopes to provide hospital facilities to cater to the mental health needs of the Northern Province, matching the healthcare standards of the West.
“Ragama Hospital was established to treat those disabled by the war and individuals with mental health issues. We have endeavoured to provide a similar modern facility for the people in this war-affected area,” the President said.
President Ranil Wickremasinghe further expressed his pleasure in seeing the projects he initiated as Prime Minister in 2017 to elevate the health service in the Northern Province come to fruition.
He highlighted that the Northern Province now boasts modern hospitals and emphasized his goal of making the region’s health services as advanced as those in the Western Province.
The President made these comments addressing an event to unveil the Medical Rehabilitation and Mental Health Center at Mankulam Base Hospital, which was constructed with the assistance of the Government of Netherlands at a cost of Rs.4, 500 million.
This is the largest medical rehabilitation therapy and mental health development centre in the Northern Province, featuring a psychiatric rehabilitation unit, an emergency unit, a surgery, a laboratory, a radiology unit, an outpatient department, and an intensive care unit.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s full statement:
At the opening of this medical unit today, it is important to mention the background. After the war ended in 2009, the government at that time began the foundational work to restore services that had been halted in the Northern Province due to the conflict.
The first phase of this work was completed, but further progress required a second phase. As Prime Minister, I discussed with the Government of the Netherlands the establishment of new medical units to enhance the health sector in the Northern Province. The Minister of Health and the former Chief Minister of the Northern Provincial Council were actively involved in these efforts.
Before the war, Jaffna had become the best health centre after Colombo. As the Western Province developed, so did the Southern and Central Provinces. My goal is to restore the Northern Province to that level of excellence. This is why these hospitals are given special attention.
In 2017, as Prime Minister, I allocated funds for establishing the Faculty of Medicine at Jaffna University and constructing the necessary building for it. Today, I have the opportunity to attend its opening. Upon assuming the office of President, I ensured that these projects were completed promptly. Now, the Northern Province boasts modern hospitals.
We have decided to elevate Jaffna Hospital to a national hospital. Additionally, we are working to develop Mannar Hospital, transform Vavuniya Hospital into a teaching hospital, and provide a medical faculty to Vavuniya University. Mankulam Hospital, equipped with modern machines, is the only hospital after Ragama Hospital to have such advanced facilities.
Ragama Hospital was established to treat those disabled by the war and individuals with mental health issues. We have endeavoured to provide a similar modern facility for the people in this war-affected area.
Many hospitals in Sri Lanka lack the equipment that the four hospitals in the Northern Province now possess. It is crucial to protect these devices, and hospital administration and management must take the initiative. Cuba excels in health services due to its excellent hospital administration and management.
Therefore, efforts should be made to elevate our hospital management and administration standards. The World Health Organization and the Asian Development Fund can provide the necessary allocations for this purpose. Through these efforts, we aim to establish a high-quality health service in the country. (Newswire)
