Flooding of National Hospital ICU: Shame of a nation

By Citizen from Dalugama

I am a senior citizen of this country who having opportunities to stay in a developed country, returned to Sri Lanka some years back, thinking that I could contribute to the betterment of this country no matter how little it is. When common people like us fall sick, the first and the best place for treatment that we choose is the National Hospital.

But it is shocking to see/hear that an Intensive Care Unit of the Colombo National Hospital went under water last Friday.

One can imagine what it was like: rain water mixed with highly contaminated water laden with various types of human pathogens from the Norris Canal (this canal flows very close to the hospital) flooding the floor of the Intensive Care Unit of the nation's biggest hospital. Is it not a shame?

One lady doctor from the hospital who appeared on one of the TV channels was trying put the blame on an engineer from Colombo Municipal Council but he too did not give in. We know that this is nobody's property but this incident is not an excusable one. What I gathered is that this was not the first time.

If it had happened once, the authorities could have taken action immediately to shift this unit to a place where it will never happen again, no matter how costly it would have been or if the authorities failed to do it, the doctors could have gone on strike until it was shifted.

To my little knowledge, once a place like the ICU is flooded with heavily contaminated water, it could be very difficult to decontaminate it, no matter what method is used for disinfection or sterilization due to the nature of the building.

Once the air conditioners are switched on, germs left in the nooks and corners would be airborne due to the drying effect of the air conditioning, putting the patients' life in great danger particularly those with immunosuppressive disorders.

Minister of Health, this is a serious situation.....!