Hospitals unable to provide treatment; severe crisis, say Government Medical Officers' Association

01-Dec-2025

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Hospitals are struggling to continue providing treatment to patients and disaster victims, and government hospitals across the country are facing severe crisis conditions, the GMOA said.

GMOA spokesperson Dr. Shamil Wijesinghe said that communication with Nuwara Eliya hospital and other base hospitals in the district has been completely cut off.

At the media briefing held on November 30, he said:

Weather is returning to normal, but severe rainfall in recent days has caused major flooding and landslides nationwide, increasing the number of affected individuals. Water levels of the Kelani River have also been rising since last night.

Hospitals are struggling to provide treatment amidst the disaster, and hospital infrastructure is under severe stress. Kandy, Badulla, Nuwara Eliya, Matale, Puttalam and Gampaha have been heavily affected. Colombo National Hospital is facing major difficulties continuing services.

Health services are vital for the injured, displaced, and those affected by infections after the disaster. Hospitals must be able to provide essential services to those arriving after rescue operations.

Many hospitals, including Kandy, Nawalapitiya, Gampaha, Peradeniya, Badulla, Nuwara Eliya, Kamburupitiya, Chilaw, Mahiyanganaya and Anuradhapura, are functioning under crisis conditions.

 

Mahiyanganaya hospital services have collapsed. Only essential services continue, and patients have been moved to Bibile Hospital.

A medical team walked nearly 12 km into remote areas of Nuwara Eliya yesterday to treat affected people. Around 500 people, including patients, hospital staff and nearby residents, are trapped inside Chilaw Hospital due to flooding. 

Over 50 children and mothers are in the pediatric ward. Attempts to transfer them to Puttalam Hospital have not yet been successful.