By The Pulseline News Desk
Former President Maithripala Sirisena has telephoned President Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) recently following the explosion at the National Nephrology Specialty Hospital in Polonnaruwa, seeking urgent action to restore the hospital’s operations.
The call came after the explosion caused damage to the hospital, a facility closely associated with Sirisena, who initiated the project during the Yahapalana administration after making a request to the Chinese Government in 2015.
The hospital, subsequently established with Chinese assistance, has long been regarded as one of the former President’s major development initiatives in his home district of Polonnaruwa.
During the telephone conversation, President Dissanayake has briefly discussed the incident with Sirisena before asking what needed to be done and how he could assist.
Sirisena has told the President that the immediate priority should be to carry out the necessary renovation and repair work so that hospital services could return to normal as quickly as possible.
President Dissanayake has then raised the possibility of deploying military personnel to undertake or assist with the renovation work, with the aim of expediting the restoration of the damaged sections.
Sirisena has agreed that military involvement could speed up the process, pointing out that relying on the normal process of selecting private contractors could take considerably longer.
The exchange is notable as the two Presidents have represented distinctly different political eras, but the conversation focused on the immediate restoration of a major healthcare facility in Polonnaruwa.
The National Nephrology Specialty Hospital was conceived as a major response to the chronic kidney disease crisis affecting farming communities, particularly in the North Central Province. Its establishment became closely identified with Sirisena’s presidency and his political base in Polonnaruwa.
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