Published on - 7/31/2005
Newly renovated Ponnambalam Memorial Cancer Institute at Thelippalai, Jaffna and the modernized Thelippalai District Hospital complex were recently declared open and placed in the custody of the Jaffna masses who need medical treatment from those special units.
A section of the newly renovated Ponnambalam Memorial Cancer Institute with the active support of hundreds of soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army was formally handed over earlier to health authorities on 01st June 2005 before the entire complex was made available to the public a week ago.
Governor for North and East Province Tyronne Fernando after Jaffna Commander, Major General S. D Tennekoon, received him at the airport, attended the inauguration as Chief Guest in the company of a host of senior officials of the Health Department and Ministry of Health.
Religious observances of all four major faiths and lighting of the traditional oil lamp saw the official inauguration before the Chief Guest
Re-opening of the Cancer Institute at Thelippalai, being the second largest one in the island is expected to serve a large number of Cancer patients who need constant and regular therapy in the peninsula. This facility enables patients to seek direct therapy without visiting the one at Maharagama in the south. Similarly, all other branches at this District Hospital are now in full swing after the official opening.
Official re-opening was facilitated thanks to the funds at a cost of Rs 135 million released by the World Bank under NEERP project now under way in Jaffna and elsewhere in the north and east of the country. UN and the GTZ organizations too contributed towards repairs and renovation at its early stages.
The Cancer Institute at Thelippali, though established in a sensitive security area, was provided most vital Cobalt 60 Radiotherapy machines, an x-ray machine and a variety of other medical equipment by the Government with the help of Sri Lankan naval troops who brought them in by sea. In addition, a new bus service bound for this hospital is also now in operation following an initiative taken by the Security Forces.
Renovation work of the Cancer Institute was accelerated last November in consequences of a series of co-ordinating conferences that were held at the premises with the participation of Secretary Ministry of Defence Major General (Retd) Asoka Jayawardene who was formerly the Governor for North & East provinces.
Medical staff at the hospital was also permitted to stay overnight in the institute considering urgent medical requirements of the inmates at the hospital.
This hospital wing of vital importance, opened in 1981 was indefinitely closed down after intensification of the warfare in 1992, but the Sri Lankan government in 2001after troops requested recommenced repair works of the hospital, backed by hundreds of soldiers of the Engineers Regiment of the Sri Lanka Army. The move was also actively helped by Navy & Air Force troops by way of transportation of equipment by sea and air for installation.
Secretary to the Ministry of Indigenous Medicine in the North East Provincial Council and Assistant Regional Director of Health Services Dr. Ketheshwaran, Coordinating Officer of the Ministry of Health in the North & East Dr. Jeganaden, Senior Consultant to the Ministry of Health, Dr. Sivadasan, Commander, Security Forces Headquarters Jaffna Major General S.D Tennakoon and a large gathering of state officials joined the inaugural sessions.
