Jaffna Cancer unit to reopen after 15 years

[TamilNet, Saturday, 16 July 2005, 10:43 GMT]
The renovated Tellipalai District Hospital at a cost of about 90 million rupees and the Cancer Treatment Unit at a cost of 55 million rupees are to be commissioned by the North East Provincial Governor Mr.Tyronne Fernando on Saturday morning after a lapse of fifteen years. North East Provincial Ministry of Health has organized the opening event, sources said.





Mr.W.Siriwardene, Provincial Health Ministry Secretary, Mr.S.Rangarajah, Chief Secretary of the North East Provincial Council (NEPC), Mr.K.Ganesh, Jaffna District Government Agent and several health ministry officials are to attend the opening event, sources said.

The World Bank funded North East Emergency Rehabilitation Project (NEERP), Asian Development Bank (ADB) funded NECORD, USAID, SIRUP, Government of Japan and CAARP have provided funds for the renovation of the Tellipalai DH and the establishment of the Cancer Treatment Unit with new Cobalt Plant, health ministry sources said.

The Tellipalai DH is situated in the high security zone area and the hospital buildings were destroyed in the war. Before the displacement in 1990 the hospital had been functioning with several facilities including laboratory, X-ray unit, specialised psychiatric and gynaecology units and also it served as a referral hospital to Central Dispensaries of Kankesanthurai, Pallai, Alaveddy, Chunnakam, Punnailaikadduwan and Ilavalai.

The nearest hospital with all facilities is the Jaffna Teaching Hospital, which is about 15 km away from Tellipalai, health ministry sources said.