Two laparoscopic surgical machines worth about Rs. 120 million have been donated to the Health Ministry for use at two state hospitals, the Daily Mirror reported.
The machines were funded by Ven. Nakulugamuwe Sumana Thera, who is based in Singapore, and Sunil Wijewardena of Kohilawatta, chairman of the Kadawatha Sarana Buddhist Foundation.
One machine goes to Kandy National Hospital and the other to Ragama Teaching Hospital.
The handover
The equipment and accompanying documents were presented to Health and Mass Media Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa at the Asidisi Madura premises of the Ministry of Mass Media in Narahenpita.
Members of the Maha Sangha attended, along with MP Hemali Weerasekara and Dayapala Hewage, secretary of the Kadawatha Sarana Buddhist Foundation.
What the equipment does
Laparoscopic surgery is performed through small incisions rather than the larger openings conventional open surgery requires. Depending on the procedure and the patient, it can mean less post-operative pain, a shorter hospital stay and faster recovery.
Adding the systems expands the two hospitals’ capacity for minimally invasive procedures within the free public health service, where waiting lists for surgery are shaped in part by how much specialised equipment each facility holds.
The donation is one of a run of equipment transfers into state hospitals this desk has tracked in recent weeks, including a CT simulator for cancer patients at Apeksha Hospital.
Not reported
The report does not say when the machines will be installed or become operational, which surgical units will use them, or who will train staff to operate them. It does not give the manufacturer or model, say how the Rs. 120 million figure was arrived at, or explain how the two recipient hospitals were chosen. No comment from either hospital is carried.
