The heart surgery project launched by cardio thoracic surgeons in Sri Jayawardenapura Hospital,kotte to perform bypass surgeries free of charge for those critical heart patients who are awaiting surgeries at government hospital awaiting lists has stopped since three weeks back according to hospital sources.this project which was funded by ministry of health has stopped due to an external pressure from higher authorities of Jayawardanapura Hospital the sources added.
The project which began in year 2010 has able to perform more than 300 bypass surgeries for free of charge to the patients attached to several hospitals throughout the island including Colombo National,Kurunagala,Kandy,Anuradhapura, and Karapitiya hospitals.the total cost for the surgeries were borne by the Ministry Of Health as a benefit for these patients.
However some authorities in Jayawardanapura Hospital opposing this project as it has done free of charge at a hospital which is semi government charging fees from the patients.but the Cardio Thoracic surgeons there have not opposed this project and carried out the project during last three years without any difficulty as well as not disturbing the normal heart surgeries performs in the hospital according to sources.
More than five critical heart patients per week were sent to the Jayawardenapura Hospital by other government hospitals earlier for bypass surgeries under the mentioned project.but since three weeks they stopped sending patients per a request made by a higher authority in j’pura hospital sources revealed.