Take steps to immediate resumption of Kidney transplant operations; President

President Maithripala Sirisena directed the Director of the Presidential Task Force on Prevention of Renal diseases Asela Iddawla to restore operations at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Kidney transplant hospital at Maligawatta, President Secretariat said. The President, who visited the hospital yesterday also directed Iddawela to closely monitor the daily hospital activities. He also directed the Health Ministry Secretary to take necessary steps to acquire the adjoining land of the hospital which belongs to the Provincial Council. The President issued these directives on an inspection tour of the Kidney transplant hospital in Maligawatta on information received that kidney transplant surgeries have not been carried out in the hospital since September last year. President Sirisena said that he is committed to eradicating kidney disease from the country. Consultant Neprologist Nalaka Gunawansa told the President that kidney transplant surgeries have not been performed in the hospital since the Intensive Care Unit was infected with a germ. He said that the hospital’s ICU has not yet been fully sterilized though the hospital has performed 52 successful kidney transplants between July 2013 and July 2014. Senior Health Ministry officials including Dr. D.M.R.B. Dissanayake, Health Services Director General Palitha Maheepala and Colombo National Hospital Director Dr Anil Jasinghe were also present.