Drugs and equipment for rural hospitals

At Elapattuwa hospital

Sri Lankans in the major cities in Australia render an invaluable service by supplying medical equipment and drugs to needy hospitals in remote areas in Sri Lanka through the Hospital Services Council. The Director of the Council, Ven Rajawelle Subhuthi is on a month’s tour discussing with the help groups on the needs of the hospitals, logistic problems until the containers are loaded and other issues. 

The hospital service which was started by Ven. Panwila Vipassi of the Vajiraramaya over half a century ago was primarily intended to help needy patients in the Colombo General Hospital – now the National Hospital. 

Through donations both in cash and kind, Ven. Vipassi residing in the hospital premises did yeoman service which was of great benefit to the needy. After he passed away monks from the Maharagama Dharmayatanaya selected by the Most Venerable Madihe Pannasiha Maha Nayaka Thera took turns and continued the service.

Over the past few years Ven. Subhuthi has streamlined the operations at the National Hospital and has branched out into providing facilities for needy hospitals in the outstations. A committee comprising a consultant, a medical officer, a nurse, a clerical hand and a member of the minor staff has been formed in each ward in the National Hospital. They discuss the daily needs and inform Ven. Subhuthi by 10 in the morning. He then sets about the task of supplying them with the least possible delay.

“The needs vary from medicines to clothes and other basic necessities. We even supply toothpaste and toothbrushes. There are patients whose family members do not turn up to see them once they are admitted to hospital. They have to find their way back home. We help them,” says Ven. Subhuthi.

Records indicate that over 25,000 patients seek outdoor treatment from the National Hospital daily. In addition around 3,000 in-house patients are being treated by the hospital daily. 

The Council has found that around 2% of this large community are extremely poor. Some of these patients are transferred from rural hospitals to the National Hospital and they only have the clothes they wear when they are sent to the National Hospital. 

“It has also been observed that this number is increasing and in order to cater to this increase in demand, we have to expand the activities of the council for which we need more resources,” the Council says.

Rural hospitals

Ven. Subhuthi has been visiting hospitals in remote areas to see what facilities they need. He saw that most of them do not even have basic facilities. “The Australian groups have been sending container loads of medical equipment which have come in very handy,” he says. “Although most of them are basic requirements the Health Department finds it difficult to allocate funds to get them.” 

The distribution of hospital beds and medical equipment sent to the Hospital Services Council is done through the Health Department. “The department has estimated that the value of the equipment distributed last year amounted to Rs. 480 million,” Ven Subhuthi said with much satisfaction. 

Among the hospitals which received equipment were Elapattuwa off Anuradhapura, Nagadipa, Mahavilachchiya off Tantirimale, Kankesanthurai Navy Hospital, Puttalam, Dambulla and an out of the way hospital off Nuwara Eliya.

While expressing his appreciation for the contributions by the public, Ven. Subhuthi points out that the Council is in need of funds to get the equipment cleared at the Customs and to move them to be stored. The distribution is also a costly operation. 

Being a charitable organisation, corporates can claim tax deductions for donations made. The Council takes special care to keep accounts and the annual returns are vetted by KPMG, renowned auditors.