President directs to expedite construction of ICU at Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children

President Maithripala Sirisena directed relevant sections to expedite the construction of the fully equipped Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children.

The President made these directions at a meeting to discuss the required actions to ensure speed and efficient implementation of the construction project. The meeting was held  this week at the Presidential Secretariat.

The fully equipped ICU which will be ten-storied building will consist of units for heart diseases, units for inborn intensive care and space for training of the staff.

More than 370,000 infants are born in Sri Lanka while the annual infant mortality is 3000. The causes of these deaths are inborn heart ailments, pneumonia, blood poisoning and dysfunction of essential body organs.

Nearly 3000 patients are getting the service from the Out Patients’ Department while more than 900 patients are admitted to the hospital.

The new ICU will help save the lives of thousands of children.

Health Minister Rajitha Senarathne, Secretary to the President P. B. Abeykoon and the President of Sri Lanka College of Pediatricians Doctor Lakkumar Fernando were among those participated in this occasion.