A sudden one and a half hour power outage that occurred while doctors at the Wathupitiwala Base Hospital were operating on a forty-five-year old woman to remove her womb meant that the woman was forced to wait for one and half hours with her abdomen open for the operation to be completed.

A gynaecologist, assisted by another doctor, began the operation at about 9.45 yesterday (19) morning. However after the doctors opened up her abdomen the electricity supply to the hospital was disconnected leaving the doctors in a very difficult situation. The generator installed at the hospital in case of an emergency was also found to be defective and of no use.

It was after one and half hours that the electricity supply was restored. The dedicated doctors had stayed by the operation bed looking into the needs of the patient to make sure her condition remained stable.

The operation was successfully completed after the power supply was restored and everything ended well for all concerned.

When asked about what had occurred the Assistant Health Superintendent of the hospital K.Manoharan said that they were able to get the electricity restored after informing their plight to the Ceylon Electricity Board.( By S. U. W. K. Jayawardena)