[2012-06-17
11:08:53]
As
the news of baby Jegatheeswaran Apisha and baby Skandharasa Santhos,
three year old girl and boy from Jaffna, whose lives were saved
by the Army and Asiri Surgical hospital, messages of appreciation
and admiration are flowing to the Commander and officers of Security
Forces - Jaffna (SF-J).
Everyone sending
their best wishes to the Headquarters SF-J speaks high of the
kindness and compassion shown by soldiers towards Jaffna people
in distress, especially small children who are struggling to live
with acute heart diseases. Several individuals and institutes
have even expressed their keenness to contribute to this meritorious
act.
Surgery on
baby Santhos was conducted on 07th June, after two days on his
admission to hospital. However, Apisha had to wait until10th June
since she needed to undergo a few more tests before the surgery.
She was taken to the theatre on Sunday (10) morning for a five-hour
surgery.
Santhos
was discharged from hospital on Friday (15) evening and flown
back to Palaly the following day. He was directly taken from the
airport to Palaly Army Base hospital for a brief check up by Doctors
of Sri Lanka Army Medical Corps and sent in Army ambulance to
the 511 Brigade Headquarters where Commander 511 Brigade Colonel
Wijendra Goonathilake received them and made arrangements to send
them home safely.
Apisha will
have to be at hospital another few more days since doctors executed
two surgeries simultaneously on her.
When the troops of 5th Battalion Sri Lanka Light Infantry and
3rd Battalion Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment found those two children
and learnt the poor economical background of their families, it
was brought o the notice of Commander Security Forces - Jaffna
(SF-J) Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe. Steps were immediately
taken by the Commander SF-J to arrange air facility for them with
their guardians who were airlifted from Palaly to Katunayaka on
5th June.
The first
surgery of this nature was done to Krishnakumar Kajenthini, the
20 year old girl from Erlalai, Kadduvan at Colombo Asiri Heart
Care Centre on 30th March this year. This combined and worthy
effort taken by the Army and Asiri Surgical Hospital could save
Kajenthini’s life which was in danger. (See Web Article Titled
“Kajenthini Back Home; Army Receives Her in Pompous
Ceremony” on 23.04.2012 in www.cimicjaffna.lk
)
Since
then, for the benefit of small children in Jaffna, who are suffering
from heart diseases, Sri Lanka Army and Asiri Heart Care Centre
launched a welfare project named “Army-Asiri Heart Care”,
under which Asiri Heart Care Centre would perform surgeries to
Jaffna people sent by Headquarters SF-J free of charge.
Senior Consultant
Cardiothoracic Surgeon of Asiri Hospital Dr. Vivek Guptha who
conducted the surgery performs those surgeries without claiming
his professional fee while Chief Executive Officer of Asiri Surgical
Hospital Dr. Manjula Karunarathne would release them of all hospital
charges including food and accommodation. Clinical Director of
Asiri Heart Care Centre Dr. Anil Perera coordinates the programme.
Apisha’s father
Krishnan Jegatheesan had been a member of the LTTE since 2004.
With the end of the war, he was identified, rehabilitated at Kanthaikadu,
Pompaimadu rehabilitation centres and released in April 2011.
However, he had found the life difficult without regular income
to feed his wife and two children when the Commanding Officer
5th Battalion Sri Lanka Light Infantry Lieutenant Colonel G.A.L.
Kithsiri arranged a bank loan for him to start a self employment.
He is living at Puttur East with his family.
Father of
Santhos, Gunasekaran Skandharaja is living at Yogapuram, a Mahaviru
village in Urelu. He is a father of two and works as a labourer
on daily-wage basis.
Security Forces
– Jaffna has sent soldiers to Colombo to give blood needed to
patients.
