News

Covid crisis at Kalubowila hospital exposes inordinate delay in completing new wing

Published

5 years ago

2021/08/10

Sahan Weerasooriya

Seven storeyed building still under construction

… Audit queries didn’t expedite construction

By Shamindra Ferdinando

The crisis at the Colombo South Teaching Hospital at Kalubowila, where the hospital administration struggled to cope up with rapid inflow of Covid-19 patients has highlighted the inordinate delay in completing a seven-storeyed building at the hospital premises under construction since 2006.

Sources told The Island that work had been seriously hindered by much delayed payments over a period of time and poor supervision on the part of successive Health Ministries. The project launched during Mahinda Rajapaksa’s presidency was to be completed by 2008.

Although the Auditor General’s Department pointed out serious shortcomings and malpractices, successive governments hadn’t taken remedial measures, sources said.

During this period Nimal Siripala de Silva, Maithripala Sirisena, Tissa Attanayake and Dr. Rajitha Senaratne served as health ministers. The incumbent is Pavitra Wanniarachchi.

However, other sources said that State Engineering Corporation (SEC), despite several rounds of talks with Health Minister Pavitra Wanniarachchi, hadn’t been able to complete the project.

Responding to another query, sources pointed out that the incumbent Director General of Health Services (DGHS) Dr. Asela Gunawardena had been Director of the Colombo South Teaching Hospital for several years before he succeeded Dr. Anil Jasinghe late last year.

Meanwhile, security authorities expressed concern over the public wearing worn-out masks and the danger posed by the large number of Covid-19 infected persons arriving at the vaccination centres. They stressed the need to take precautions to prevent vaccination facilities becoming centres of new Covid clusters.

State Minister of Production, Supply and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals Prof. Channa Jayasumana over the last weekend visited the Colombo South Teaching Hospital to examine the situation. Acknowledging the daunting task in meeting the growing Covid-19 threat, Prof. Jayasumana explained the vaccination drive was in full swing. The academic said that as the next three weeks would be critical, the government needed the backing of all to bring the situation under control. According to the State Minister, the recent trouble at the Colombo South Hospital had been temporary and measures were being taken to improve the situation.

Health Ministry spokesman Dr. Hemantha Herath yesterday (9) told a media briefing at the Health Promotion Bureau that some hospitals were being overwhelmed and action would be taken to remedy the situation.

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INS NIREEKSHAK makes port call in Colombo

Published

5 mins ago

2026/04/21

Priyan

The Indian Navy Ship (INS) NIREEKSHAK arrived in Sri Lanka for Operational Turnaround (OTR) and a training visit on 21 Apr 26.

The Sri Lanka Navy welcomed the visiting ship at the port of Colombo in accordance with time-honoured naval traditions.

Commanded by, Commander Sailesh Kumar Tyagi, this Diving Support Vessel is set to conduct a training programme with the diving professionals of the Sri Lanka Navy.

The crew is also scheduled to participate in several activities organized by the Sri Lanka Navy and visit some tourist attractions within the country.

Latest News

Advisory for Severe Lightning issued to the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, North-western, North-central, Southern, Uva provinces, and Mannar, Vavuniya, Ampara, Batticaloa districts

Published

3 hours ago

2026/04/21

Priyan

Advisory for Severe Lightning
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre
Issued at 12.00 noon 21 April 2026 valid for the period until 11.30 p.m. 21 April 2026

Thundershowers accompanied with severe lightning are likely to occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, North-western, Northcentral, Southern, Uva provinces, and in Mannar, Vavuniya, Ampara, Batticaloa districts after 1.00 p.m.

There may be temporary localized strong winds during thundershowers. General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by lightning activity.

ACTION REQUIRED:

The Department of Meteorology advises that people should:
 Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees.
 Avoid open areas such as paddy fields, tea plantations and open water bodies during thunderstorms.
 Avoid using wired telephones and connected electric appliances during thunderstorms.
 Avoid using open vehicles, such as bicycles, tractors and boats etc.
 Beware of fallen trees and power lines.
 For emergency assistance contact the local disaster management authorities

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Six Foreign Envoys Present Credentials to President Dissanayake

Published

4 hours ago

2026/04/21

Priyan

Two High Commissioners, three Ambassadors and an Apostolic Nuncio-designate of the Holy See presented their credentials to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential Secretariat this morning (20).

The ceremony, held at 10.00 a.m., followed the formal order of precedence, with the envoys representing Papua New Guinea, Somalia, Luxembourg, the Holy See, Pakistan and Kuwait.

Accordingly, diplomats who presented their credentials were:

01. Vincent Sumale, High Commissioner-designate of Papua New Guinea (Based in New Delhi)

02. Abdullahi Mohammed Odowa, Ambassador-designate of Somalia (Based in New Delhi)

03. Christian Biever, Ambassador-designate of Luxembourg (Based in New Delhi)

04. Monsignor Andrzej Józwowicz, Apostolic Nuncio-designate of the Holy See

05. Major General (Retd) Nayyar Naseer, High Commissioner-designate of Pakistan

06. Saleh Mubarak Al-Sarawi, Ambassador-designate of Kuwait

Following the presentation of credentials, the President engaged in a cordial discussion with them. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, and the Secretary to the President, Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, were also in attendance.