Opposition requests friendly countries for a 300 bed Mobile Hospital with ICU Capabilities

The Opposition in a discussion with foreign diplomats has made a preemptive request to provide Sri Lanka with a field mobile hospital with 300 ICU beds, an Opposition MP said.

Mr. Eran Wickramaratne told the media today at the office of the Leaders of Opposition said that the capacity of the State Health Sector logistical services to handle the surge of COVID -19 positive is in danger of imminent collapse.

He said Sri Lanka has only around 700 ICU beds and many international agencies and friendly countries do have field hospitals with ICU facility which can be set up in a matter of hours. The International agencies such as UNICEF and the IOM have these facilities, therefore the Opposition in Parliament decided to make this preemptive request for a mobile hospital for the sake of the people of the country devoid of political gain.

He said that he had called upon the government a month ago in Parliament to import Covid Vaccine. But they did not heed to opposition's request to procure the vaccine needed for 15 million people. He alleged that the Government's actions to face the Covid pandemic are very slow.

It was reported that in Kahawatta hospital a patient has died due to lack of Oxygen but it needs to be verified. We have a huge problem on our hands due to the rapid spread of Covid virus. The situation in India is alarming.

“The vaccination process would cost the State about Rs 15 billion. But the loss of revenue due to the sugar scam was Rs 15.9 billion. It is not rocket science but the whole world is to ask to be vaccinated. We are facing another crisis which is the variance of this virus and nobody knows how it would attack the people. The number of positive cases are escalating daily and the actual could be more than the official number. Sri Lanka is on the Red light zone on this issue now,” he said.

Mr. Eran Wickramaratne concluded that on behalf of the citizens of Sri Lanka we wish to make preemptive request to the international agencies and friendly government to provide 300 bed field hospital with ICU facilities to overcome our current temporary healthcare needs for COVID 19 patients.