Government to assist Achala in her higher studies
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- Published on Friday, 01 February 2013 09:59
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President Mahinda Rajapaksa has directed the Army Commander, Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya to take immediate action to provide a prosthetic arm to Achala Priyadarshani, the final year Law student, whose arm has been amputated due to medical negligence. Her arm has been amputated following an accidental fall from a flight of stairs at her home in Urubokka, in the Matara district.
The President Rajapaksa deeply touched by the media reports on the incident has requested the Army Commander Wednesday (30) morning and requested to provide the young victim a top-standard prosthetic arm as early as possible as he has seen such prosthetic arms fixed on to disabled Army personnel residing at Army wellness resorts, Abimansalas and other places of rehabilitation..
The President has also told the Army Commander that he would ensure release of financial grants to purchase this prosthesis on humanitarian basis without any delay and requested that this be done through the Army on priority basis.
Army sources said that the Army Commander Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya, responding to the President’s directive, immediately contacted the local supplier in Sri Lanka of the German-manufactured artificial arm which costs around Rs 3.5 million. He has also directed the Director of Rehabilitation Major General R. V. Samaratunga to meet the victim at Colombo National Hospital and do the needful in consultation with medical specialists attending to her.
They also said that Major General Samaratunga, together with the Colombo-based supplier-agent of Otto Bock Company Limited of Germany, within an hour visited the patient and conveyed the President’s concern about her and the provision of a prosthetic arm to her on directions.
Meanwhile, Medical experts have opined that measurements for the prosthesis could not be taken immediately since her wrapped wounds would take at least two more weeks for complete healing.
The victim Achala Priyadarshani has expressed her gratitude to the President for his deep concern and measures taken to provide her an artificial arm of the highest quality.
On Thursday (31), Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa visited Achala, at the National Hospital along with External Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris. MP Namal Rajapaksa said the government will assist her in her higher studies. External Affairs Minister G.L.Peiris responding to a request by Achala that she wants to see her mother who is in Lebanon, promised take prompt action by the Ministry to bring Achala’s mother to the country.
