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Onerous task while weighed by a paperwork load
View(s):It is while the Sunday Times is on the premises that Negombo Hospital’s Medical Superintendent Dr. Champa Aluthweera does her “rounds” not of wards but of the construction site. This is amidst her heavy administrative workload exacerbated by the stringent pile of paperwork that has come about due to evacuations, equipment movement and also new buildings.
Dr. Champa Aluthweera
Three times a day, she goes walk-about to ensure that everything is functioning as smoothly as possible in difficult times for the hospital. “Crisis monitoring,” is what she calls it, onerous being her tasks of renting houses for some construction workers, getting temporary sheds put up for others as well as ensuring that there are adequate toilets.
“It’s a big challenge,” concedes Dr. Aluthweera who has to deal with a humongous paper-load with limited staff, while not neglecting her usual administrative work. Money is on her mind as she tries to meet this bill or that. Headaches are many for MS Dr. Aluthweera as the bills mount and even the Rs. 20 million channelled by the Health Ministry to the Western Provincial Health Ministry to be released to the hospital for the relocation of essential equipment is still being processed.
Meanwhile, Consultant Paediatrician Dr. LakKumar Fernando who is overseeing the construction issues on behalf of the hospital said that when they had to abandon the seven-story structure temporarily until repairs could be carried out, they had to give up 96,000 sq.ft. inclusive of staff quarters.
As the crisis deepened and patients became restive after being moved to whatever areas were available in adjacent buildings with corridors spilling over and every nook and corner being choc-a-block, Prof. Thishan Jayasinghe suggested the semi-permanent structures. He promised to deliver 30,000 sq.ft. within 30 days and the balance of 27,000 sq.ft within 50 days, making up a total of 57,000 sq.ft., while the seven-storey building is repaired, to be delivered by December, according to Dr. Fernando.
The Cabinet pledged Rs. 500m for the semi-permanent structures and the repair of the main building, he says, adding that Rs. 200m has been released and they are awaiting the balance Rs. 300m to complete the full task. Giving a breakdown of the funding already received, he says that separately Rs. 50m was released to set up a temporary ICU, rent houses to accommodate staff, establish toilets and also carry out minor repairs to adjacent buildings etc.
Dr. Fernando adds that part of that money has already been spent but more is needed as in addition to putting up the four semi-permanent structures, there is a need to tile the floors of those buildings, instal a 100% re-chargeable air-conditioning system for the operating theatres and repair the deficiencies in the sewerage system of the whole hospital.
This is being asked to make the hospital fully functional to serve the large number of patients who seek succour here, it is learnt.
The Sunday Times has reported on the troubles of the Negombo Hospital in three in-depth pieces on May 31 and June 7 and 14.