No congestion at Kalubowila hospital now – Minister Jayasumana

August 9, 2021 at 12:16 PM

There is no congestion of Covid patients at the Colombo South Teaching Hospital in Kalubowila as reported earlier, State Minister Professor Channa Jayasumana said. 

The State Minister of Production, Supply, and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals made the statement following an observation tour of the hospital yesterday.

He said the congestion reported due to an influx of Covid patients being admitted at the hospital has completely ended and that measures have been taken to set up two new wards for new Covid patients being admitted to the hospital. 

Commenting on the large number of bodies that had been stored at the mortuary of the hospital, State Minister Jaysumana said a majority of the bodies were that which had not been identified by relatives. 

He said out of the 37 bodies that are currently stored at the hospital’s mortuary, 20 of the bodies are that of people who had died earlier of non- Covid related causes and which are yet to be identified by the family. 

The plight of Covid patients at the Colombo South Teaching Hospital in Kalubowila was highlighted recently after pictures on social media showed patients sleeping along the corridors and in the garden due to a lack of space. 

State Minister Professor Channa Jayasumana said, however, the issue was rectified after the hospital management had established two more wards and had provided necessary beds to the infected people. (NewsWire)