Health Minister hands over 4th consignment of Navy’s Thalassemia Infusion Systems to Government hospitals

The Minister of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine, Hon. Dr. Rajitha Senaratne, handed over the 4^th consignment of Thalassemia Infusion Systems produced by the Sri Lanka Navy to Government hospitals at a function held at the SLNS Parakrama auditorium on 05^th January 2015. The Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine, Mr. Anura Jayawickrama, the Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne, the Director General Health Services, Dr. PG Mahipala, the Chief of Staff of the Navy, Rear Admiral Sirimevan Ranasinghe, the Director General Health Services of the Navy, Rear Admiral Nicholas Jayasekara, the Deputy Director General (Medical Services I) Dr. Laxmi Somatunga, the Deputy Director General (Public Health Services I) Dr. Sarath Amunugama, the Director Naval Projects and Planning, Commodore Rasika Dissanayake and senior naval officers attached to the Naval Headquarters were also among the distinguished guests who attended the function.

The infusion system is very essential for thalassemia patients for the removal of excessive iron deposits gathered in vital organs as a result of frequent blood transfusions which are needed for the treatment of the disease. It is donated to the hospitals free of charge as a part of the Sri Lanka Navy’s social responsibility project.

At the ceremony, a total of 258 thalassemia infusion systems were handed over for distribution among the hospitals in Colombo, Kurunegala, Anuradhapura, Batticaloa, Monaragala, Puttalam and Ampara. In a symbolic gesture, ten (10) young thalassemia patients were also presented with Navy’s thalassemia infusion systems.

Infusion pumps available in the market are very expensive and many patients cannot afford them. Therefore, the Research and Development Unit of the Sri Lanka Navy utilizing their expertise and know-how, has developed the new infusion pump bringing about a great deal of relief to many a patient who could not afford the expensive pump. The equipment has been manufactured at a relatively low unit cost. This low-cost infusion system, another feat in the Navy’s technological success, is today being used under the Health Ministry guidelines in Government hospitals and reports have confirmed it as the most effective equipment in use in Sri Lanka.

The Navy donated the first stock of 150 infusion systems on 28^th July 2011, the second stock of 200 infusion systems on 16^th May 2012, and the third stock of infusion systems on 08^th May 2014 free of charge to government hospitals under its social responsibility project. The Navy plans to meet the entire requirement of the thalassemia infusion systems in the country and provide them to the patients free of charge as a humanitarian assistance gesture.