France donates Rs 1,600m to upgrade hospitals

The French Government will donate Rs 1,600 million to upgrade hospitals in Sri Lanka. At a request of Healthcare and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva. High Technological Medical Equipment will also be supplied to selected hospitals in the country.

The Agreements of this project was singed last Friday at the Health Ministry premises, Health Ministry Secretary Dr. Athula Kahandaliyanage signed on behalf of Sri Lanka and Euro-Formed Institute Chairman Fredrick Hard singed on behalf of the French Government.

The Health Ministry will give two Angiography machines for the Cardiology units in Karapitiya and Jaffna Teaching Hospitals. Two Surgical Units for Cardio treatment will also be established in Karapitiya and Colombo South Teaching Hospitals.

According to the agreement, two Module Surgical Units for Nephrology will be established in Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital, a C.T. Scanner machine will be donated to Jaffna Teaching Hospital and 20 Oxygen filling tanks will be established in Jaffna, Point Pedro, Mannar, Vavuniya, Akkaraipaththu, Mahaoya, Kalmunai, Trincomalee, Kantale and Moneragala Hospitals.

Other 20 Defibrillator machines will be provided to another 20 hospitals. Meanwhile, the Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry has decided to name 2010 is the year for the development of infrastructure facilities of General hospitals and Provincial Council hospitals. Under this, the Government will provide technological medical equipment to the hospitals in the country.

The Government will spend Rs 2000 million for the program. President Mahinda Rajapaksa has instructed to the Ministry to carry out this program.