Post-independence Sri Lanka had one of the finest
healthcare systems in the developing world — the envy of
other South Asian countries. Sad to say, with the
increase in population and an exodus of doctors, the
system is now creaking at the joints, unable to cope
with the demand.
This has led to
the mushrooming of private hospitals — in general a very
good thing. But have you stopped to think how much these
places charge? You may go in to have your bad kidney
replaced: you’ll come out having sold the good one to
pay your bill. I know of many people ending their days
in private healthcare who have successfully bankrupted
their next of kin in the process.
‘I am dying
beyond my means,’ said Oscar Wilde on his deathbed.
Really, he might have been a Sri Lankan when he said
that.
Ath vasiya
Dr. Lakshman
Weerasena has been in private medical practice for the
last 38 years, the quintessential Colpetty Doctor.
From personal experience I can say that he is one of
those doctors possessed of what we Sri Lankans call
ath vasiya, healing hands, and his diagnosis is
usually spot on. It has always been his dream to build a
small cost-effective short-term-stay hospital, to cater
to the needs of middle and lower income patients (that
means us writers!).
Next month his
dream will be realised with the opening of Hospital and
Homecare Services Ltd. on Galle Road. He stresses that
his hospital is not for serious or terminal patients who
might need intensive care, or for obstetrics and
gynaecology.
Instead it will
be for everyday ailments, for patients with asthma or
dengue, children with vomiting and diarrhoea, people
with diabetes or arthritis or hypertension.
"We will
concentrate on prevention, with special geriatric
clinics where next of kin will be taught how to prevent
home accidents: avoiding slippery floors, for instance,
or having high commode seats with supporting bars at the
side. There will be home visits too."
Short term stays
The hospital
will have just six adult rooms and a paediatric ward
with four beds. We Sri Lankans are a nation of
hypochondriacs, so how will he cope with demand? The
emphasis here will be on short term stays, he says,
anything up to three days. (So hard luck those of you
who are already planning to check yourselves in when the
servants leave for Poson!)
I ask Lakshman
what his other interests are.
"During my
presidency of the Independent Medical Practitioners’
Association from 1991 to 1993, I initiated the concept
of taking healthcare to the doorstep of the poor,
holding health camps in remote areas of the country,
including the north and east. This is an ongoing
process, and to date I have held 384 free health camps.
Where serious treatable illnesses are detected, we refer
patients to state hospitals."
Lakshman’s other
great passion is wildlife, and he uses any available
free time to visit the various wildlife sanctuaries in
the country.
Crime prevention
He was also
president of the Medico-Legal Society of Sri Lanka,
conducting workshops and seminars on crime prevention.
Special emphasis was placed on educating policewomen
about how best to handle cases of sexual abuse among
women and young girls without embarrassment to victims.
Till he changed
the way things were done, policewomen would accompany
victims to the Judicial Medical Officer dressed in
uniform, a humiliating process, drawing attention to the
victims. Thankfully, officers now accompany their
charges dressed in civilian clothing.
Hospital and
Homecare Services is due to open early June, spanking
new, with such innovations as chairs that open out into
beds for hospital visitors who may want to stay the
night; and a state of the art dental clinic with a
dentist’s chair straight out of Star Wars.
Situated near the sea, it is full of sparkling light and
fresh air. I am reminded of Oscar Wilde’s other famous
deathbed saying, on seeing how dreadful his window
curtains were: "Either these curtains go or I do," he
said.
There is no
danger of that here, I think.
(Ashok Ferrey will be conducting
a one-day Workshop on Creative Writing, on Wednesday,
May 27, at the Sri Lanka Press Institute, 96, Kirula
Road, Colombo 5 Contact: sumaya@slpi.lk)
