– The Island
President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday ordered that the ultra modern seven storeyed kidney unit built at a cost of Rs 450 million at Maligawatte, which had remained idle for the last several months, due to a tug-o-war between the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) and the Health Ministry, be commissioned immediately.
The unit was to be commissioned in January. The President has directed that arrangements be made to treat the first kidney patient at this unit, before the end of this month.The GMOA wanted the unit for the use of doctors to treat patients and was opposed to university professors conducting kidney related medical research in it.
This led to the unit remaining noncommissioned for months despite being equipped with expensive machinery. It has 25 dialysis machines, CT scanners, operating theatres for kidney transplants and medical and surgical intensive care units
A Health Department survey has revealed that the North Central, North Western and Uva provinces have about 30,000 chronic kidney patients and the Anuradhapura District in the North Central Province alone has 17,000. Though these patients have to undergo dialysis every week, provincial hospitals lack facilities, the Health Ministry survey has revealed.
Healthcare Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva held urgent discussions with President Rajapaksa about the Maligawatte Kidney Unit on Monday night.
Meanwhile, yesterday Colombo hosted a high level summit on kidney ailments where all South Asian nations participated.