(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) –The Ministry of Health yesterday (23) decided to use 50 Ayurvedic Hospitals as Intermediate Covid Treatment Centers on the instructions of the President to transform Ayurvedic Hospitals islandwide into Intermediate Covid Treatment Centers to accommodate the rapidly rising number of patients.
The decision was taken at a special discussion held at the Ministry of Health under the patronage of Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi. State Minister of Indigenous Medicine Promotion, Rural and Ayurvedic Hospitals Development and Community Health Sisira Jayakody also participated in the discussion.
With the decision to convert the Ayurvedic Hospitals into Intermediate Covid Treatment Centers, 3500 beds will be added to Covid Treatment Services.
During this discussion, it was decided to provide formal training on Covid treatment services to all health staff working in Ayurvedic hospitals reserved as intermediate care centers and to vaccinate all health staff expeditiously.
It was also decided to expeditiously provide medical equipment, medicines and personal protective clothing essential for the medical services and to expedite the physical changes that need to be made in hospitals regarding Covid treatment services, In hospitals in relation to Covid medical services. It was also agreed that the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Finance would jointly provide financial assistance for this purpose.
Discussions also focused on the provision of meals to the health staff and patients referred for treatment and Minster Wanniarachchi instructed the officials to take steps to provide a nutritious and flavorsome meal. The Minister of Health also instructed the officials to monitor the process to ensure proper functioning.
Secretary to the Ministry of Health, Maj. Gen. Dr. Sanjeewa Munasinghe, Director General of Health Services Dr. Asela Gunawardena, Secretary to the Ministry of Indigenous Medicine Kumari Weerasekera, Director of the Navinna Ayurveda Research Institute Senaka Pilapitiya, Provincial Commissioner of Ayurveda, Deputy Secretary to the Ministry were also present on the occasion.
