Two of the operating theatres are also being rewired following a fire caused by a short circuit, according to the Acting Director of the Hospital. He said that of the three operating theatres in use, one was used for eye operations and one for maternity cases, leaving one for surgical casulaties. The emergencies are operated on in this theatre, while non urgent cases are not taken up at present. As regards the drug situation, Chief Pharmacist T. Siwananthan said that at the end of the year, the stock of drugs usually went down. The Medical Supply Division in Colombo, which handles the issue of drugs has delayed issuing the stock for the first quarter of 1999, since a stock verification is in progress.
Several life saving drugs are out of stock.
A life saving injection has been out of stock for one month. Mr. Siwananthan said that although the estimated drug requirements had been submitted, only a couple of items had been issued. Monitors seek to meet President By Shelani De Silva W ith more than 300 incidents of violence reported from Wayamba and signs of an escalation in the final week, independent polls monitors are seeking an urgent meeting with President Kumaratunga to curb the trend. Kingsley Rodrigo, Executive Director of the People's Action Front for Free and Fair Elections, charged that politicians were totally responsible for the violence, though the people of the province wanted a peaceful and democratic atmosphere. He said on Friday evening the number of incidents had topped 300.