Opp. requests friendly countries for 300-bed Mobile Hospital with ICU facilities

The Opposition in a discussion with diplomats requested that Sri Lanka be provided with a field hospital with 300 ICU beds.

 MP Eran Wickramaratne told the media yesterday at the office of the Opposition Leader that the capacity of the State Health Sector logistical services to handle the surge of COVID -19 positive cases was in danger of imminent collapse.

Wickramaratune said Sri Lanka had only around 700 ICU beds and many international organisations and friendly countries had field hospitals with ICU facilities which could be set up in a matter of hours.

 The International organisations such as UNICEF and the IOM had those facilities, and therefore the Opposition in Parliament had decided to make the request for a mobile hospital for the sake of the people of the country devoid of political gain, the MP said.

 He said that he had called upon the government a month ago in Parliament to import Covid vaccines. But it had not heeded the Opposition’s requests to procure vaccines needed for 15 million people.

He alleged that the government’s action to face the Covid pandemic was very slow.

 Wickramaratne said that it was reported that at the Kahawatta hospital a patient had died due to lack of oxygen, but it needed to be verified.

 “We have a huge problem on our hand due to 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 tax racket was Rs 15.9 billion. It is not rocket science but the whole world is asking to be vaccinated. The number of positive cases is escalating daily and the actual number could be more than the official number. Sri Lanka is on the Red light zone on this issue now.”