COMMANDER'S BRAINCHILD FOR OWN HOSPITAL AT PALLEKELE BEARING FRUITS

General Shavendra Silva, Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Army this morning (23) inspected the new Army Hospital complex under construction at Pallekele, adjoining the 11 Division HQ compound and reviewed its progress and finishing touches since it would be the first of its kind for Army personnel in the up country.

Major General Kithsiri Liyanage, General Officer Commanding, 11 Division HQ after a warm welcome ushered him to the premises, accompanied by a few Officers and Other Ranks, engaged in the construction site.

The first seeds for construction of a fully-equipped hospital of this nature in Pallekele were sown on a proposal made by General Shavendra Silva, Commander of the Army after looking at an administrative building in the premises during a visit he made to the 11 Division HQ in February 2020 when the present Chief of Staff Major General Senarath Bandara was serving as the GOC, 11 Division.

The new two-building Hospital complex with 123 beds, equipped with 4 Wards for retired Officers/ Other Ranks, serving Officers and Other Ranks, Consultation Rooms, X-ray unit, ECG unit, Laboratory, Ultra Sound Scanner unit, Pharmacy, Card Section, Ward Master's office, HDU section, Dental unit, Nurses' Rest Room, Pantries, Female section, VIP rooms, Rest Rooms, separate four rooms for Officers, has been provided with all sophisticated digital and IT facilities and most modern accessories/appliances. The other building houses the OPD, ETU, Dressing Room, Operation Theatre, Recovery area, Laundry, Physiotherapy unit, Administrative complex, Medical Officers' accommodation and all other wings.

At the initial stage, ten Medical Officers would serve the Hospital according to the plan, thus fulfilling a long-felt medical need of both retired and serving Army personnel in the up country.