Eastern Province to get Rs. 520 m emergency and accident facility at Batticaloa Teaching Hospital

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was entered into  between the Ministry of Health and the National Health Development Fund on behalf of the Government of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (GOSL) and the Trustees of the Foundation Supporting a National Trauma Service in Sri Lanka, Victoria, Australia (Project BEAP),  which is a charitable organisation registered in Australia and as a Trust registered in Sri Lanka, to develop an emergency and accident trauma facility at the Teaching Hospital in Batticaloa (THB) in the Eastern Province at a cost of Rs. 520 million.

It was signed on 30 August at the Ministry offices by Secretary MOH Dr. Nihal Jayatheleke and National Health Development Fund Accountant/Secretary S.A. Dharmawardena on behalf of the GOSL and President and Trustee Dr. David A Young, Coordinator and Trustee Nihal de Run, Foundation Supporting a National Trauma Service in Sri Lanka on behalf of BEAP in the presence of a large team of officials from the Ministry of Health and Project BEAP.

Following cessation of the conflict in Sri Lanka, and rapid growth in the economy, an accelerated re-building of the infrastructure is taking place. This has led to the increased use of motorised vehicles and consequently vehicular and industrial accidents. A National Trauma Service Advisory Committee has been established to adjust the health systems to this increased use of accident and emergency facilities and operating theatres at large Regional Hospitals. It follows that, training of medical staff in accident and emergency procedures will become an important part of this development.

The Eastern Province of Sri Lanka has been affected by the fight against terrorism for more than 30 years and the Tsunami tidal waves of December 2004 devastated a large part of the Eastern Province and other coastal areas of Sri Lanka, resulting in the displacement of more than one million people and destruction of public and private properties, including hospitals and healthcare facilities.

In October 2011, Minister of Health Maithripala Sirisena through the Secretary, Ministry of Health (MOH), signed a letter of intent to enter into an agreement with BEAP to jointly undertake a project (Project) to improve the emergency and accident facilities in the Eastern Province, particularly to deal with mass casualty situations and management of trauma care and for the development of this facility at the Teaching Hospital in Batticaloa (THB).

According to Dr. Jayatheleke the project is addressing a priority need in the health sector and it is envisaged to construct a multi-storey Emergency and Trauma Centre (ETU) in the grounds of THB, incorporating an Emergency Department(ED) which will include ambulance bays, triage areas, treatment bays and waiting rooms, provision for four fully equipped operating theatres, shell space for four additional theatres for future development,  two short stay wards (one male and one female) and educational and training facilities.

Dr. Jayatheleke further stated that the benefits of the project will be the, Improved initial assessment, resuscitation and stabilisation of critically unwell patients presenting to THB thereby reducing mortality and morbidity, improved patient outcomes by reducing delay of definitive treatment, reduction of unnecessary in-patient admissions to overcrowded wards, reduction of patient stays in hospital, improved admission processes and decision making through training programs, increased operating theatre capacity leading to timely treatment, particularly for orthopaedic cases.

Dr. Young, who is a leading Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon in Australia and President and Trustee of the Foundation, indicated that the Improved facilities for practicing professionals to practice their skills, will greatly reduce the ‘brain drain’ of doctors, surgeons and physicians and Australian consultants will be able to provide training and share experience with a view to establish an effective National Trauma Service in Sri Lanka. He further indicated that it is essential to improve medical facilities to treat the sporting and recreational injuries with increased hotel construction and attracting more tourists to the Eastern Province.

BEAP will facilitate funding for the project, amounting to 50 % of the total project cost estimated at Rs. 520 million at current level of prices and exchange rates (USD 4 million). It will be earmarked for  buildings, plus fit-outs and equipment to resource the project up to a maximum of Rs. 260 million (USD 2 million) including cash and ‘in-kind’ donations from private sources and corporate sources in Sri Lanka and overseas. Funding will be done through the National Health Development Fund (NHDF), which will provide tax deductibility to Sri Lanka donors. The GOSL and MOH will fund the balance amount to complete the project.

The GOSL in consultation with the MOH and its relevant authorities and other related agencies in recognition of BEAP’s generosity wishes to match by a similar amount to enable the construction of the building to commence in August 2014. The project will be managed through a Steering Committee chaired by the Secretary, Ministry of Health comprising representatives of MOH, BEAP, Eastern Provincial Council, THB and the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Eastern Province (UEP).

This MOU shall be operative initially for a period of three years, and project’s implementation shall be in accordance with the relevant guidelines, specifications, designs and standards of MOH and  agreement/agreements are executed with a contractor/contractors who is /are registered with the Institute of Construction Training and Development in Sri Lanka.

de Run indicated that preliminary conceptual designs were completed in consultation with the MOH and stakeholders and it envisaged that construction work of the building is planned to commence in August 2014 and expected completion in August 2015. This private, public partnership program facilitated by BEAP to improve health facilities in the Eastern Province, is very much in line with the Mahinda Chinthana Ediri Dekma Program and supporting the ‘Negenahira Udanaya’ programs.