Published on - 6/12/2005
A section of the newly renovated Ponnambalam Memorial Cancer Institute at Thelippalai, Jaffna with participation of hundreds of soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army was formally handed over to health authorities on 01st June 2005, enabling them to resume its function shortly for the benefit of Cancer patients in the peninsula.
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 with the help of Sri Lankan naval troops who brought them by sea. In addition, a new bus service bound for this hospital was also inaugurated following an initiative taken by the Security Forces.
Renovation work of the Cancer Institute was accelerated in 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) Ashoka 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.
Presently, the United Nations and GTZ Organization fund these renovations with the coordination of CHF International at a cost of Rs. 8 million. The newly opened wing comprises a few wards and residential quarters of the medical staff.
At early ground-breaking stages, soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army joined hands with hundreds of civil workers and others who attended reconstruction and renovation work by clearing garbage and debris on the site with the help of heavy machinery, made available by the Army.
The brief formal hand-over ceremony was attended by Lieutenant Colonel W.M.E.D. de Silva, Civil Affairs Coordinating Officer, representing the Commander Security Forces Headquarters (Jaffna), Mr. Adrian Porter, Project Director of CHF International, Mr. Adi Walker, Advisor of GTZ Jaffna Office, Dr. Thivendran, Project Coordinating Officer of the Thelippalai Government Hospital and the hospital Staff.
