Apeksha Hospital halts food donations over controversy
a year ago
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BY Pamodi Waravita
The Director of the National Cancer Institute, also known as the Apeksha Hospital located in Maharagama, Dr. Vijith Gunasekera has said that the institute/hospital has temporarily stopped accepting food donations until a ministerial-level investigation reveals information into the reported allegations of irregularities in the food donation process.
“The media has reported various irregularities at the institute/hospital. After informing Health Ministry Secretary Dr. S.H. Munasinghe and the Director General of Health Services (DGHS) Dr. Asela Gunawardena about these reports, I have created the environment necessary to conduct a transparent investigation into the matter at the ministerial level,” Dr. Gunasekera said in a press release issued in this regard on Monday (22).
Media reports levelled serious allegations against certain staff members at the institute/hospital for severely mismanaging the food donations that are received by the institute/hospital, including through the sale of food donations to neighbouring shops and by lying to donors to get food for more than the required number of patients.
Dr. Gunasekera said that the institute/hospital will stop all food donations until a ministerial-level investigation is initiated and concluded or until the institute’s/hospital’s directorate receives satisfactory information regarding the matter.