Heart Unit still, twelve years after opening

By Isuri Kaviratne

The Cardio Thoracic Unit (CTU) at the Kandy General Hospital which was officially opened in 1995 by former President Chandrika Kumaratunga has not yet started conducting operations even after 12 years.

Health Ministry Secretary Dr. H. A. P. Kahandaliyanage said that though the cardiac unit of the hospital was functioning for some time, the cardio-thoracic unit was not functioning because it took some time to collect all the human resources and equipment and design the whole unit. “We had to wait until we got adequate funds to open the unit. But we now have plans to open the unit”, he said. Though objections were raised that the building housing the unit was constructed shabbily, Dr. Kahandaliyanage said he was not aware of such a situation but would look into the matter.Kandy General Hospital Director Dr M.G.P.Samarasinghe said it took some time to get the equipment the cardiac surgeons wanted as there was a long process of calling for tenders before getting the equipment.

“When the first surgeon who was appointed to the Cardio-Thoracic Unit left, I couldn’t start the new unit as without a doctor in charge, equipment for the unit could not be ordered. Now we are in the process of starting the CTU next month”, he said. Dr Rajeeva Peiris who was appointed as the consultant to the CTU at the Kandy Hospital when it was first opened, resigned from public service shortly after his appointment reportedly due to lack of facilities. He had complained that his request for the relevant equipment had not been heeded while equipment which did not fulfil even the minimum requirements had been provided.