New, fully equipped Epilepsy Unit opened
A Saudi- funded, modern Epilepsy Unit (EU), housed in a new 10-storey building within the precincts of the National Hospital, was declared open this week by Pre s i d e n t M a i t h r i p a l a Sirisena, with Minister of Health Rajitha Senaratne and Charge d’Affaires of the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia Mamdouh Mohammad Ali Allaf in attendance.
It was built at an estimated a cost of Rs 4,598 million, of which 75% was a soft loan from the Saudi Development Fund, while the balance 15% was borne by the Govt.
"It is the fulfillment of a long-felt need, which has generated fresh hope in its treatment, and other Neurological disorders in Sri Lanka," said National Hospital Director Dr Anil Jasinghe.
He said that, for the first time in Sri Lanka, an ultra modern EU with all necessary facilities is under one roof, to treat Epilepsy and other Neurological disorders.
Epilepsy is a common, chronic neurological disorder affecting nearly 60 million people worldwide. The condition, although serious, is treatable through conservative treatment, medical treatment or surgery.
Dr Jasinghe said treatment for Epilepsy should focus on both the patient and his/ her family and, as a result of the lack of facilities, restricted the establishment of both conservative and surgical treatment of Epilepsy.
The EU comprises of two wards with approximately 100 beds. It has diagnostic facilities, theatres for surgery, a Magnetic Resonance Imaging ( MRI) machine, a Positron Emission Tomography ( PET) scanner, a Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography ( SPECT) scanner, and equipment to carry out Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA), Electroencephalogram ( EEG) and Electromyogram ( EMG). Intensive Care Units ( ICU), High Dependency Unit ( HDU), long term monitoring units, and a fully equipped auditorium. It also includes special services like physiotherapy, health education system and a counselling system.