Kalmunai Hospital to get new Psychiatry ward

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 June 2006, 11:03 GMT]
A Psycho-Traumatic Counselling Ward is to be constructed at an estimated cost of two million rupees at the Kalmunai base hospital by EHED-Caritas, a non-governmental organization, administrative officials of the hospital said. Rev.Fr. Sylvester Sritharan, Director of EHED-Caritas, Batticaloa District and Dr.Muhunthan, acting Medical Superintendent of the Kalmunai hospital laid the foundation stone for this project at an event held Monday afternoon, sources said.

Dr.Ms Kumudhini Thurairatnam, who is in charge of the mental health unit of the hospital, organized the event.

Dr.Muhunthan said a survey conducted in the Amparai district identified about ten thousand people with some form of mental disorders due to war and natural disasters, mainly tsunami.

The number of mentally affected patients in the district has increased several folds following the tsunami disaster, Dr Muhunthan said.