The significance of Vesak lies with the Buddha and his universal peace message to mankind. As we recall the Buddha and his Enlightenment, we are immediately reminded of the unique and most profound knowledge and insight which arose in him on the night of his enlightenment. This coincided with three important events which took place, corresponding to the three watches or periods of the night.

During the first watch of the night, when his mind was calm, clear and purified, light arose in him, knowledge and insight arose. He saw his previous lives, at first one, then two, three up to five, then multiples of them — 10, 20, 30 to 50. Then 100, 1000 and so on. As he went on with his practice, during the second watch of the night, he saw how beings die and are reborn, depending on their Karma, how they disappear and reappear from one form to another, from one plane of existence to another.

Then during the final watch of the night, he saw the arising and cessation of all phenomena, mental and physical. He saw how things arose depending on causes and conditions. This led him to perceive the arising and cessation of suffering and all forms of unsatisfactoriness paving the way for the eradication of all taints of cravings. With the complete cessation of craving, his mind was completely liberated. He attained full enlightenment. The realisation dawned in him together with all psychic powers.

This wisdom and light that flashed and radiated under the historic Bodhi Tree at Buddha Gaya in the district of Bihar in Northern India, more than 2500 years ago, is of great significance to human destiny. It illuminated the way by which mankind could cross, from a world of superstition, or hatred and fear, to a new world of light, of true love and happiness.

Four noble truths

The heart of the teachings of the Buddha is contained in the teachings of the Four Noble Truths, namely, the Noble Truth of Dukkha or suffering, the origin or cause of suffering, the end or cessation of suffering, the path which leads to the cessation of all sufferings.

The First Noble Truth is the Truth of Dukkha which has been generally translated as ‘suffering.’ But the term Dukkha, which represents the Buddha’s view of life and the world, has a deeper philosophical meaning.

Birth, old age, sickness and death are universal. All beings are subject to this unsatisfactoriness. Separation from beloved ones and pleasant conditions, association with unpleasant persons and conditions, and not getting what one desires — these are all sources of suffering and unsatisfactoriness. The Buddha summarises Dukkha in what is known as the Five Grasping Aggregates.

Here in, lies the deeper philosophical meaning of Dukkha for it encompasses the whole state of being or existence.

Our life or the whole process of living is seen as a flux of energy comprising of the five aggregates, namely the aggregate of form or the physical process, feeling, perception, mental formation, and consciousness. These are usually classified as mental and physical processes, which are constantly in a state of flux or change.

Our true nature

When we train our minds to observe the functioning of mental and physical processes we will realise the true nature of our lives. We will see how it is subject to change and unsatisfactoriness. And as such, there is no real substance or entity or self which we can cling to as ‘I,’ ‘my’ or ‘mine.’

When we become aware of the unsatisfactory nature of life, we would naturally want to get out from such a state. It is at this point that we begin to seriously question ourselves about the meaning and purpose of life. This will lead us to seek the truth with regards to the true nature of existence and the knowledge to overcome unsatisfactoriness.

From the Buddhist point of view, therefore, the purpose of life is to put an end to suffering and all other forms of unsatisfactoriness – to realise peace and real happiness. Such is the significance of the understanding and the realisation of the First Noble Truth.

Cause of suffering

The Second Noble Truth explains the origin or cause of suffering. Tanha or craving is the universal cause of suffering. It includes not only desire for sensual pleasures, wealth and power, but also attachment to ideas, views, opinions, concepts, and beliefs. It is the lust for flesh, the lust for continued existence (or eternalism) in the sensual realms of existence, as well as the realms of form and the formless realms.

And there is also the lust and craving for non-existence (or nihilism). These are all different forms of selfishness, desiring things for oneself, even at the expense of others.

Not realising the true nature of one’s self, one clings to things which are impermanent, changeable and perishable. The failure to satisfy one’s desires through these things; causes disappointment and suffering.

Craving is a powerful mental force present in all of us. It is the root cause of our sufferings. It is this craving which binds us in Samsara — the repeated cycle of birth and` death.

The Third Noble Truth points to the cessation of suffering. Where there is no craving, there is no becoming, no rebirth. Where there is no rebirth, there is no decay, no old age, no death, hence no suffering. That is how suffering is ended, once and for all.

Noble eight fold path

The Fourth Noble Truth explains the path or the way which leads to the cessation of suffering. It is called the Noble Eightfold Path.

The Noble Eightfold Path avoids the extremes of self-indulgence on one hand and self-torture on the other. It consists of right understanding, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration.

These path factors may be summarised into three stages of training, involving morality, mental, culture and wisdom.

Morality or good conduct is the avoidance of evil or unwholesome actions — actions which are tainted by greed, hatred and delusion; and the performance of the good or wholesome actions – actions which are free from greed, hatred and delusion, but motivated by liberality, loving-kindness and wisdom.

The function of good conduct or moral restraint is to free one’s mind from remorse (or guilty conscience). The mind that is free from remorse (or guilt) is naturally calm and tranquil, and ready for concentration with awareness.

The concentrated and cultured mind is a contemplative and analytical mind. It is capable of seeing cause and effect, and the true nature of existence, thus paving the way for wisdom and insight.

Wisdom in the Buddhist context, is the realisation of the fundamental truths of life, basically the Four Noble Truths. The understanding of the Four Noble Truths provide us with a proper sense of purpose and direction in life. They form the basis of problem-solving.

The message of the Buddha stands today as unaffected by time and the expansion of knowledge as when they were first enunciated.

No matter to what lengths increased scientific knowledge can extend man’s mental horizon, there is room for the acceptance and assimilation for further discovery within the framework of the teachings of the Buddha.

The teaching of the Buddha is open to all to see and judge for themselves. The universality of the teachings of the Buddha has led one of the world’s greatest scientists, Albert Einstein to declare that ‘if there is any religion that could cope with modern scientific needs, it would be Buddhism.’

The teaching of the Buddha became a great civilising force wherever it went. It appeals to reason and freedom of thought, recognising the dignity and potentiality of the human mind. It calls for equality, fraternity and understanding, exhorting its followers to avoid evil, to do good and to purify their minds.

Realising the transient nature of life and all worldly phenomena, the Buddha has advised us to work out our deliverance with heedfulness, as ‘heedfulness is the path to the deathless.’

His clear and profound teachings on the cultivation of heedfulness otherwise known as Satipatthana or the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, is the path for the purification of beings — for the overcoming of sorrows and lamentation, for the destruction of all mental and physical sufferings, for the attainment of insight and knowledge and for the realisation of Nibbana. This has been verified by his disciples. It is therefore a path, a technique which may be verified by all irrespective of caste, colour or creed.

— Venerable Mahinda Thero

The cruelty must stop 

By Ranee Mohamed

There is so much suffering around us – men, women and children suffering — being suffocated by  poverty, hardship, circumstances. But the greatest suffering of them all  is the  suffering of animals everywhere.

Dogs  on the streets, their tongues hanging out for want of a sip of water, their eyes pleading for some leftover food, roam the city in the midday heat.  Emaciated cats lie tired after their long trek from house to house in search of kindness.

Yet we have our tasty Chinese meals and throw the leftovers into a bin and place a stone over it lest the place gets ‘messed up.’

Sri Lanka will remain  a resplendent isle for its beauty and for its live and let live attitude —  animals, birds and other living beings being allowed to live, with our obsession for cleanliness not allowed to take over and allow them to be wiped out.

But whose responsibility is it to feed a starving animal? Where have the basic human feelings of love and compassion gone? Is there enough compassion in our hearts to feed an animal which has not had a proper meal for months? ‘Feed the animals, get friendly with the dogs on the streets by feeding them with the objective of sterilising and vaccinating the animal,” said animal rights activist Sagarica Rajakarunanayake, speaking to The Sunday Leader.

“Animals are put under great torture before they are killed. On Poya day of course there is a long respite, especially on Vesak Poya,” said Rajakarunanayake.

It is but ethical to treat an animal fated to die with some dignity and love. But who feeds the cattle in the abattoir? No one does. For feeding them means extra work – that of cleaning out their bowels.

A friend living closer to an abattoir said that she could not sleep at the break of dawn as she hears the cries of anguish of cattle being killed. And when the morning sun dawns the dark deeds are done and the meat is ready for the market.

Who feeds the chickens trapped in their iron cages, trodding gingerly over the iron in the hot sun? Have you seen them drinking water. Have you seen them eating any food as they sit mournfully watching their cage-mates being subject to brutal killings?

Animals Act

Have you seen ducks and turkeys in and around Nugegoda – birds that otherwise strut in all dignity – trying to maintain it all inside an iron cages?

Aren’t there laws to that will make life better for animals and birds condemned to die.

Speaking on laws, Rajakarunanayake  noted with some satisfaction that the Animal Act has been revised  and the fine for killing prohibited animals is now Rs.75,000. Cows under the age of 12 years come under this category.

Sagarica Rajakarunanayake went on to note that President Mahinda Rajapakse has been the only leader in the country who has directly issued an order to stop cruelty and the killing of stray dogs. “When it was pointed out to him that there is another alternative rather than killing – that is sterilising and vaccinating of dogs – he issued a directive overnight halting the killing of dogs,” she said. She went on to say that killing of dogs has never been a popular method of controlling the stray dog population. 

Rajakarunanayake went on to point out that elephants are being shot and killed and cruel traps have been set upon them to obtain their tusks. “This is not done by the poor villagers but by the rich and influential,” she said.

A new trend

Animal Rights Activist Iranganie de Silva made the following observations  about a new trend that has set in today —that is to herd the animals in far off places — animals living happily in the wild into lorries after which they are illegally transported to Colombo in the thick of the night and sometimes during the day and in the wee hours of the morning.

“This is a big business. They have their own clans. The cattle thieves have various branches and one of them is the intelligence branch which comprise of a single motorcycle rider who does a round to see who is at the check point, whether any ‘troublesome’ OICs or police officers are on the road or at the police station etc,” explained Iranganie de Silva, President, Animal Welfare Trust.

“Containers are the latest mode of transport for these innocent animals,” said de Silva and  went on to lament about the inhumane way humans are treating animals and said  that we have no right to do so.

Animal rights activists led by Iranganie de Silva made shocking disclosures of gross cruelty to cattle. “These innocent animals who have lived a happy and carefree life in the wild are now being herded into lorries and containers to be brought to various destinations to be sold for slaughter. 

Does not matter

The rights activists also went on to point out that it does not matter to these men whether the animals are starved or half dead. What was important was that there was just a little bit of life in them, enough to be killed so that their meat becomes ‘fresh’ for consumption. Of course, there are reports that  the cattle that have ‘just died’ are not ‘wasted’ with a burial.

In Weligamuwa, 82 cattle were tracked down recently. A lorry carrying 27 more cows, bulls and calves was also tracked down in Wadduwa. In Bentota another 26 cattle were found in a lorry and 28 cows, bulls and calves were found in August  this year being illicitly transported from Matugama. Last month 40 cattle were found being transported atop each other in Balapitiya,” lamented  President, Animal Welfare Trust, Iranganie de Silva.

What will it take for human beings to be more aware of the feelings, thoughts and fate of other living beings around them.  Pause to think — are these innocent animals ever capable of treating us the way we do treat them?

Watching life race by

By Sunalie Ratnayake

T he Night of the Lions is a celebration held every four years to felicitate old boys of Trinity College, Kandy, who have achieved eminence in their chosen fields both nationally and internationally. This year, the fifth Night of the Lions was held to felicitate Dilantha Malagamuwa along with 15 other individuals who had staked a claim to be amongst a select `few' to be honoured at the Trinity Lion felicitation ceremony. Some of the other categories and persons acknowledged this year were - Agriculture (Prof. U. Ravi Sangakkara), Architecture (Channa Daswatte), Creative Arts (Willie Blake), Defence Services (Late Lieutenant General Parami Kulatunge), Education (Prof. Walter Perera), Law (Justice Cyril Moonemalle, Media (Cecil Wikramanayake), Medicine (Prof. Ananda Wijekoon) and Political Affairs (Lakshman Jayakody).

In 1986, the Trinity Lion for Sports was awarded to Duncan White, in 1994 to Leslie Handunge, in 2000 to Kavan Rambukwella, in 2005 to Kumar Sangakkara, and this year it was Dilantha Malagamuwa. It was also the first time that a 'racer' was awarded the Trinity Lion.

His dream

For Malagamuwa, racing had only been a hobby in his early years. At the age of 14 he had watched the movie Silver Dream Racer, a story of a motorcycle rider who ultimately turned out to be a champion, and from that moment onwards, Malagamuwa never looked back. He was also determined to make his 'silver dream' a reality. And so he did, purely with fortitude, strong will, and a little bit of luck.

Speaking to The Sunday Leader, recalling his early years, Malagamuwa said, "Just like the rider in the movie Silver Dream Racer, I too struggled hard initially, and never gave up. In 1985, without my parents' permission, I left for Japan with a one-way ticket and US$ 400 in my pocket on the advice of a Japanese rider, whom I had met in Calcutta in 1983. There, I participated in my first ever international meet, riding a 10 year old motorcycle, competing against riders from around the world who rode sophisticated machines. In 1987, I bought my first racing motorcycle in Japan and  raced motorcycles until 1989, and gradually moved on to racing cars."

Malagamuwa who speaks with a smirk in his youthful face and a twinkle in his eyes, is as unpretentious as it gets. A large number of trophies and certificates are placed on the shelves that rise to the ceiling at his abode. To date he has won no less than 200 trophies, a third of them at international meets, and is the only Sri Lankan to achieve such success.

Honoured by presidents

In his speech at the recently held Night of the Lions, Malagamuwa said, "I've been honoured by presidents and prime ministers from around the globe throughout my racing career, yet, I consider this Trinity Lion award the best award that I have earned during my entire life. All achievements in my life were possible because of my alma mater." According to Malagamuwa, he had been on that very stage, when he was in Grade 3, to act in a drama.

 He had also been on that stage again to receive a punishment when he was  in upper school. However, his stepping on the same stage for the third time to receive the Trinity Lion award will surely linger in his memory forever, as it was the night he was honoured for reaching excellence in his chosen field - racing.

"While in college, I used to observe the names on the boards on the walls of the college hall. Being a fourth generation Trinitian, it occurred to me that neither the names of my father, grandfather nor even my great grandfather appeared on those boards, and I thought to myself that I should have mine written there some day. Yet, back then I did not know how. However,  I soon dashed my father's expectations, and was adamant to become a world renowned racer. Unfortunately Ivor Malagamuwa, my father, is not alive today. If he was, he would have been the happiest to witness the achievement of his only son," Malagamuwa said.

Humble beginnings

Being a self-effacing personality, he did not fail to recall his humble beginnings in Japan, as a racer. "Initially in Japan, I did not have the required finances to race, nor a place to stay. So I ended up living in a van for six months or so. Yet, the lessons that I learnt from my alma mater kept me going, even in the most difficult times. I was strong enough to fight with pride, and today I'm proud to say, I achieved all this with the least facilities," said Malagamuwa with a sense of pride.

In 1980, Malagamuwa won his initial race on a Honda CB50JX. In the same year he raced a Yamaha TZ350 and secured a third place. His first international race was in 1983, where he was placed sixth in the Indian Grand Prix, riding a Yamaha TZ350. From 1985 to 1989 Malagamuwa raced motor cycles in Japan.

In 1986 on a Honda City Turbo II, Malagamuwa came second in a racing car event for the first time. In Sri Lanka he has won almost every race - cars as well as motorcycles. At a racing event in Japan, he was the only Non-Japanese Asian to drive a Formula Nippon and Japan GT- considered the highest levels in motor sports - and was felicitated by the Prime Minister of Japan Keizo Obuchi for his outstanding achievement. Malagamuwa has been overall champion in Japan driving a BMW M3, and overall champion in the Malaysia Super Car series, driving a Porsche 996GT3 on two occasions.

Latest triumphs

Malagamuwa's latest triumphs include winning the first ever Aston Martin Cup race in China in 2008 driving an Aston Martin Vantage N24. "Although called Asian Car Racing Championship it attracts riders from around the globe, and is not restricted to Asians," he said. Malagamuwa has been fortunate to compete with the best, and to race and win in the motorcycle, car and formula car categories on the same day. Malagamuwa had also been featured on Japanese national television NHK twice, the last in 1999 titled 'Asian Top Driver.' In 2008, Malagamuwa was named Tourism Ambassador of Sri Lanka.

Malagamuwa who hails from Kurunegala is a strong Buddhist who believes in Karma. He also believes that his great understanding and respect for the Buddhist philosophy has helped him to lead a balanced life. He has also delivered lectures on Buddhist philosophy on the TV channel The Buddhist. Being married to Midori, a Japanese, for over two decades, Malagamuwa is blessed with two beautiful daughters, Mayumi and Mika. Malagamuwa thrives on adventure and risks. His elder daughter who studies motor mechanism aspires to take after her father.

Malagamuwa believes in treating everyone as equals. When he steps on to the circuit, everyone there including the mechanics treat him with respect. "We should respect and treat the people who work for us.  We must also respect and honour our parents, and be grateful to our family. In any situation, they are the people who will be there for you, unconditionally," he said.

Four generations

Malagamuwa's great-grandfather D.B. Malagamuwa entered Trinity in 1876, followed by his grandfather R.B. Malagamuwa in 1904. Continuing the tradition, his father Ivor Prince Malagamuwa was a student at Trinity from 1949 to 1959 and Dilantha became a fourth generation Trinitian, studying at Trinity from 1971 to 1979.

Malagamuwa's father Ivor was responsible for forming the Trinity College Old Boys' Association branch in Kurunegala, along with Sirisena Bandaranaike in 1971, just prior to the centenary of the college. Malagamuwa's mother is Pushpa Malagamuwa, an eminent bridal designer from Kurunegala.

Dilantha Malagamuwa has ventured into racing territory that no other Sri Lankan has dared to go before, thus reaching the pinnacle of his sporting career.

An appeal from the Sri Lanka Housewives' Association

The Sri Lanka Housewives' Association (SLHA) appeals to all its members and well wishers to donate nearly-new clothes in good condition, dry rations, milk food, utensils, toiletries and other essential needs for the innocent displaced in the north.

The donations will be accepted at the SLHA Headquarters, 179, Sir James Peiris Mawatha, Colombo 2, from 9 a.m to 4 p.m. on weekdays.

Further inquiries can be made from Yasmin on 2449715.

Supermarkets are happening places...

By Ranee Mohamed

Supermarkets are places that we cannot keep away  from even if we want to. The very thought tires me - of carrying those wired baskets or pushing those trolleys (which  sometimes do not go the way we want them to). 

But whether we like it or not, we all have to live with supermarkets. And they have their pluses too. Think of the days gone by when we had to stand in boutiques and wait for the mudalali to stuff what he wanted into the gottas. Supermarkets have got the whole nation into a more sophisticated level of shopping. Go to a supermarket and you get what you want - yourself. Those sacks of red and white rice and the green gram and kadala all give us the  feeling  that we are in a land of plenty.

Except when you go to the cashier and run short of money, which reminds you that some things in life are not plentiful at all - and perhaps may never be.

Somehow or other the supermarkets do not seem to share the same adoration that I have for them. Why is it that the seer fish tail is sold as seer fish slices making one pay for the big bone? Why is it that whenever I go  the glass bottles of ginger beer are out of stock? Why is it that the biscuits have been made in December (with a 'best before' day of course dating to June or July)? But the fault ought to be in me. Why should we check the date of manufacture when the date of expiry is way ahead? Guess longing for too much crisp even from a biscuit is too much to ask.

The initial 'ayubowan' of the staff at the counters however make one feel glad that one is parting with a couple of greens. After all, you can't make the scene without the green. But just last week one of the girls asked me "Oyata meka oneda nedda?'  Anyway I have always been too slow in making up my mind.

Rushing through the vegetable counters - I see the fresh veggies pushed to the back and the not so fresh ones in the front, the lesson is to always look deeper.

Pick and choose

We know that the old must mix with the new, and that certainly is happening with the green chillies and  with the  green beans too.  Imagine picking them up one by one. Cant be lazy at the supermarket you know, you do have to pick and choose.

Pick certainly, with the curry leaves fallen all over the stall while we get to pick up and pay for the measly few on the stem.

And breaking those leaves off the beetroot can be quite a hand-breaking task, with the staff looking at you as if you are about to steal a beet root. How can I tell them that few people like the leaves even though I read somewhere that they are choc-a-bloc with vitamins.  But at home I have to throw them away, so I would rather break them away and keep them somewhere in a counter and pretend that I did not do it. But no, the staff picks up the beets and immediately go looking for the leaves and you are nailed.

Remember when you put that bunch of  bandakkas into your bag the chances are that about half of them  are waiting to be planted in your back garden.

If the papaw is reasonable, and the bananas are ripe, then don't judge the mangoes by the same pleasantries.

At least the beets have their leaves, not like the carrots that appear in the supermarkets with just a little bit of stem, of little or no use for the consumer, unless you have a not so fussy rabbit at home.

Just the other day the glistening mangoes which I thought were just off the tree came off differently under the fluorescent lighting of my poor kitchen. Was it candlewax that coated these raw mangoes which would have looked somewhat better in about four months?

The vegetable counter is a treat - it really puts the cooking spirit in you. But you must take care not to trip over the broom.

Why do they always sweep in and around the vegetable counter when I am around? How many near misses I have had.  Truly yes, the golden rule, specially when you are in a hurry is - be careful of the broom. And just as we try to sweep things under the carpet came the old mukunuwenna leaves and the curry leaves and sand into the pricey shoes from Pearlrich.

And you have got to be nice you know at the vegetable and fruit counter. Be patient to call the girls and boys who are not anywhere around the weighing scale any time of the day. Call them and remember you do have to give them the first smile.

But facts will be facts. There is one chain of supermarkets in the country which has the most reasonable pricing structure for vegetables. Be it coriander leaves, mint leaves or celery, there is no comparison when it comes to prices.

Reasonable is the word. Try to go to a market place and buy 100 gms of coriander leaves and one ends up paying Rs.40 for a few tender leaves. But try going to the supermarket and the weighing and the pricing of vegetables is well above prevailing standards.

On a more general note one cannot help but be thankful for these supermarkets studded all over the city with so many varieties of vegetables - at most times fresh and wholesome as they come.

Counter closed

And now for the question I have always wanted to ask - why is it that some supermarkets have about five or six counters and only two or three of these counters function at any given time? Who authorised them to have so many boards depicting 'counter closed.'

No, it is not just at lunchtime. It happens in the afternoon, morning and at any time of the day. If you don't believe me - send a decoy.

And what could be more exasperating to the shopper who may be at the supermarket during his lunchtime, during the time the child is at school, or just before cooking - or even just before getting home after work, than to watch the cashier lethargically load the goods into bags.

Her job as cashier is done - she has collected the money. Putting our stuff into bags may not be her job - and we have to be patient and wait while she stuffs the things of the person ahead of you into bags of varying sizes.

Phew, that credit card did take quite sometime. And I had to stay in line to pay with cash. At last came the time to carry the bags out. At least someone opened the door for you, be thankful that you got your things out at last.

Next time, I will seriously consider, getting a half day's leave before I actually go into a supermarket.

Please Help

Rajitha Lakmi Thevarapperuma (24) residing at Kadjugahawatta Road, Horakandamulla, Matugama and a student nurse of the 2006 B Batch School of Nursing,  National Institute of Health Sciences, Kalutara has been diagnosed as having a Right Cerebello-Pontine Angle Tumour most likely an Acoustic Neuroma (a brain tumour), which needs to be removed surgically at the earliest opportunity.

Dr. Sunil Perera, Consultant Neurosurgeon has agreed to perform the necessary surgery which has to be done under neuronavigation guidance, a facility available only at the Asiri Surgical Hospital.

"An operation of this nature without any unforeseen complications is estimated to cost around Rs. 1,250,000 inclusive of hospital and equipment charges, life saving medications and professional fees," says Medical Director, Asiri Surgical Hospital, Dr. Tissa Wickramasuriya.

Thevarapperuma's parents are not in a position to afford this amount and requests the public to help save their daughter's life.

Those who wish to help save Thevarapperuma could contact 0777 168348 or 072 4871851 or 0772991763 or contribute money to NSB, Kalutara Branch, A/C No.1-0012-88-32608 or People's Bank Matugama Branch, A/C No. 070-2001-8-4129991.

Patient care at Govt. hospitals

By Nirmala Kannangara

People, irrespective of their social or financial status become helpless when they fall sick. The situation would be grave according to the individual illness and if by any chance they do not get the best care that they badly need, it would not be easy to express in words the agony these innocent patients undergo at the hands of health care workers.

How many of us would be able to get ourselves admitted to a private hospital to get the best health care in the lap of luxury? Just a few. Thanks to the country’s free health care system, no matter what the illness is, the government hospitals and their teams of dedicated doctors are ready to give the best treatment, all free of charge.

But, the treatment alone would not be sufficient to make patients recuperate. They also need special attention, love and compassion for a speedy recovery.

That is exactly what the Neuro Surgical (female) Ward No: 10 at the National Hospital of Sri Lanka (NHSL) needs badly today.

Although the kind and dedicated consultant and his junior doctors do whatever they could to save the lives of patients who undergo neuro surgery, the post operation stage that is crucial for a quick recovery has turned out to be a nightmare for the patients, according to family members of patients.

Neglect their duty

The minor staff attached to this ward neglect their duty by the helpless patients some of whom are paralysed and show neither mercy nor compassion for them.

“This is the situation in most government hospitals in the country. We should say we are extremely lucky to enjoy free health services in this country and without hesitation I could say that we have  the cream of doctors to treat patients. But all their good work goes in vain when those who are assigned to look after the patients do not carry out their jobs properly,” Kamini Siriwardena told The Sunday Leader. 

According to Siriwardena one of her immediate family members had been admitted to Ward 10 a fortnight ago after brain surgery. The Consultant Dr. Himash Kularatne and his entire team of dedicated doctors had done their utmost to save the life of the patient, but the post operation period had become a nightmare for the entire family.

Although most patients are unable to get about on their own even to answer a call of nature the ward employees assigned to help them turn a deaf ear to the patients’ desperate calls for assistance leaving them helpless, it was alleged.

“We do understand that the ward staff cannot attend to all 20 patients every time they need their help; but my question is why the hospital authorities do not allow us to keep a special attendant by the patient at least till the patient gets well enough to attend to his personal needs on his own,” queried Siriwardena.

Turned down her appeal

Siriwardena further said that the ward matron had turned down her appeal for permission to allow a special attendant for her sister.

“Since my sister’s condition was serious and she was not able to attend to her things alone, I appealed to the ward matron to allow me to keep a special attendant to assist her, but all attempts were thwarted and I had to leave her at the mercy of the rude minor staff. The staff had deliberately failed to give the bed pan to my sister when she was in urgent need of it. It was the same plight for the other patients too. This is against all medical ethics,” Siriwardena alleged.

However Siriwardena did not fail to praise the good work done by the doctors and the nurses in the neuro intensive care unit (NICU) and the post operation ward but said that the inhumane approach of the minor staff had caused the patients to suffer immensely.

“Where else in the world could we get free medical health care as in our country? The doctors are dedicated and kind hearted and so are the nursing staff. They deserve appreciation and praise. At the NICU each patient is given special care and attention with a special nurse to attend on them. The expensive drugs and injections are all given free of charge. But all this good work becomes useless when the patient  is sent to the ward after the operation where he is at the mercy of the ward attendants,” added Siriwardena.

Bed pan not given

According to her, patients do not get the bedpan when they need it. It is given  to them when the attendant wants. “My sister was asked  to take a lot of water and in such a situation she needs the bed pan very regularly which is understandable. However she has not been given the bedpan whenever she needed it, but only when the minor staff wanted.

“Most of the time she had to wait for me to get her pamper changed since she was not given the bedpan on time. Why are they so inhumane? It is the persons who could not afford to go to private hospitals that come to government hospitals. The doctors and nurses could discharge their duties keeping to standards much above those available in private hospitals. I could say without hesitation that it is really the minor staff that has created the unpleasantness in government hospitals in the country,” said Siriwardena.

When The Sunday Leader spoke to the ward attendants to find out as to why they do not  assist patients whenever they needed their help especially when they need to answer a call of nature, their immediate response was that it was due to lack of minor staff in the ward.

“Earlier there were only 11 beds in this ward and now it has increased up to 20. How could we cope with all the 20 patients? Almost every patient is completely or partially paralysed. So unless the number of minor staff is increased we are not in a position to attend to each and every individual patient,” a minor staff member said.

Family to the rescue

However when asked as to why they do not come to assist the patients during visiting hours one old female attendant said that it was up to the family members to give the bedpan to their patients as they had more work to attend to. “Well it is easy for us to clean our own kith and kin but what these minor employees should understand is that a patient cannot be washed or cleaned as there are no curtains at the foot of the bed and there are male visitors in the ward during visiting hours,” said Siriwardena.    

In such a situation one cannot understand why the hospital authorities do not permit special attendants for patients, she queried.

When asked as to why the hospital authorities do not allow special attendants for the patients who need support, Director NHSL said that it was the respective medical consultant’s decision to allow special attendants or not. However Siriwardena insists that the ward matron never told her to seek the consultant’s permission to engage a special attendant but had simply said it was a hospital decision.

“If we were told we would have approached  Dr. Himash Kularatne for his approval. What the ward matron said was that the hospital does not allow special attendants and never told us that it was the consultant’s decision. Any way the final stage of the post operation period has become a nightmare not only to us but also to the others as well,” Siriwardena claimed.

Meanwhile The Sunday Leader spoke to family members of several other patients in the ward who confirmed that patients faced harassment at the hands of the ward minor staff, and that if such behaviour was not reported it was purely for fear of harm to the hapless patients and not because such things were not happening in the wards.

‘No objection from me’

When queried as to why the NHSL does not allow special attendants for the serious patients in wards, Director NHSL Dr. Hector Weerasinghe told The Sunday Leader that he has never asked the wards not to allow special attendants at any time.

“It is up to the respective consultants to give permission for special attendants. It is not my duty,” added Dr. Weerasinghe.

However Dr. Weerasinghe further said that allowing special attendants in wards too make the premises overcrowding but added that the ward doctor has the fullest authority to decide whether to give permission or not considering the situation.

All attempts to contact Dr. Himash Kularatne by The Sunday Leader for his comment failed.