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Old
and unused, a hospital wastes away The hospital lies on about 12 acres of land, in a picturesque spot overlooking the Kelani river, along the Hekitta road, about a kilometre away from Wattala town. There are only 35 inmates today in the hospital and many buildings are vacant, with relevant authorities taking little or no action to make use of these valuable buildings. This hospital is complete with a church, temple and kovil. It is a crime that health authorities are not taking steps to renovate these old buildings and make use of them, while the hospitals in Colombo, Kalubowila and Ragama are overcrowded. The hospital's chief, Dr. D.M.C. Bandaranayake commenting on the issue said, "This hospital was put up about three centuries ago in a scenic spot bordering the Kelani river. Since leprosy is now curable, the number of inmates decreased to 35 and the buildings have become redundant. The inmates who stay on are those who have nowhere else to go. But these people require only a couple of buildings. It is a pity that the rest of the buildings are not being used. For instance, we don't have a separate hospital for elderly citizens and these buildings can be used for this purpose. There are also patients in the National Hospital and Kalubowila Hospital who are on the operating list for an indefinite period. “These people need not add to the already overcrowded situation. They could spend time here and we could help them. Then there are patients who need post-operative recuperation. They too could be accommodated here. All we need to do is some renovation work on the unused buildings. I hope health officials would take some action." Director of the anti leprosy unit, Sunil Settinayake also made a similar appeal saying that the hospital was a valuable national resource waiting to be tapped. He too said that the neglected buildings could be renovated and used to accommodate post-operative patients. "The new bridge at Mattakkuliya has made access to the hospital easier now. So we should make use of this oldest health institute in the country for more useful purposes," Dr. Settinayake said. |
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