Over 5,000 waiting for heart surgery at Colombo National Hospital

• TUAMCR decries budget for non-allocation of funds for poor patients
• Some may have to wait up to four years for their operation
• Risk of patients dying before their surgery in the public sector is very high
• Many of these patients come from low-income families and cannot afford private hospitals, where a heart surgery can cost at least Rs. 2 million

By Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama

Nearly 5,000 patients are currently on the waiting list for heart surgery at the Colombo National Hospital, and some may have to wait up to four years for their operation, Chairman of the Doctors’ Trade Union Alliance for Medical and Civil Rights Chairman Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa said.  

He said this information comes from data obtained under the Right to Information Act (RTI). Five of the heart surgery wards at the hospital have 600, 756, 2,400, 400, and 761 patients on their waiting lists, with surgery dates expected to take up to four years.

He warned that many of these patients come from low-income families and cannot afford private hospitals, where a heart surgery can cost at least Rs. 2 million. “The risk of patients dying before their surgery in the public sector is very high,” he said.  

 Dr. Sanjeewa criticized this year’s budget for not providing special benefits from the President’s Fund for these patients. He urged the government to take immediate action to support patients who are in need of urgent heart surgery.  The government has proposed building a 16-story heart surgery facility at Colombo National Hospital, but Dr. Sanjeewa said allocating only Rs. 200 million for the project is not enough.