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The 26th of December 2011 saw the foundation stone for the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU) being laid at an auspiciously held ceremony at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in Maharagama under the patronage of the Director of the NCI, Dr. Kanishka Karunaratne. Construction of the SICU, part of an eighteen month project initiated by the Colours of Courage Trust, will begin in early January, with a projected completion date for mid April this year. This is phase two of the same project the Trust carried out with partners MAS Holdings, A&E & other donors , which saw the successful completion and handing over of the state-of-the-art Medical ICU along with medical equipment at a total cost of Rs. 70 million in 2011.
The proposed SICU will comprise of a two storey building and will accommodate six patients at any given time, a drastic improvement from the facilities offered at the NCI at present. All facilities required by the management will be provided for the SICU to ensure smooth operations of the unit. More than 45,000 people from all corners of the country make their way to Maharagama each year relying on the NCI, the only public cancer institute in Sri Lanka dedicated to the diagnosis and follow-up treatment of cancer patients; 15,000 new cases are diagnosed here annually. The Colours of Courage Trust is proud of the work accomplished and hopes to continue to make a difference and impact the lives affected by Cancer. |
