SLA bars cafetaria in HSZ Cancer hospital

[TamilNet, Friday, 19 September 2003, 14:23 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) has refused permission for continued operation of the cafetaria run by the Tellipalai Multi-purpose co-operative society (MPCS) in Tellipalai Cancer Hospital located in the High Security Zone (HSZ), said S.Sivamaharajah, the president of the MPCS, Jaffna daily Uthayan reported.

The cafeteria mainly catered for the relatives accompanying the cancer patients.

Patients who enter the hospital for treatment at around 8.30 am have to stay in the hospital till 2.00pm before being allowed to return from the hospital. Relatives who accompany the patients too have to stay until 2pm even if the treatment is completed early.

Due to the strict restrictions imposed on the patients and visitors by the SLA many patients do not attend all the prescribed treatment sessions, hospital sources said.

Closing of the cafeteria and the resulting inconvenience will further discourage patients from attending the hospital for cancer treatment, sources added.

Cancer specialists from Colombo visit Tellipalai Hospital twice every month for providing treatment to patients.