The Hon. (Physician) Ramanathan Archchuna

¶ 01 QUESTION BY PRIVATE NOTICE

¶ 02 ALLEGED FINANCIAL IRREGULARITIES IN TELLIPPALLAI BASE HOSPITAL

¶ 03 Hon. Speaker and Hon. Members, thank you for permitting me under Standing Order 27(2) to pose a Question to the Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs.

¶ 04 In the Northern Province, Tellippallai Hospital is the only hospital catering to cancer patients; its oncology unit functions within that hospital, which is a Provincial “B” Base Hospital. There is no Accountant post there. It is directly under the Regional Director of Health Services (RDHS) Dr. Ketheeswaran and the Provincial Director of Health Services Mr. Saman Pathirana. Two bank account numbers and passbooks have been found in the custody of the Consultant-in-charge of the oncology unit, Dr. Krushanthi, purportedly used for unit-related private cash transactions. I am prepared to submit those to this House today.

¶ 05 Preliminary inquiries also indicate that RDHS Dr. Ketheeswaran has improperly entered into a building contract worth Rs. 30 million for the oncology unit without the approval of the Provincial Secretary. Despite this, no action has been taken by the Ministry of Health. I lodged a complaint with the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) on 2025.06.03; a case has been filed, yet after nearly one and a half months, no action has been taken. The public may see this as an example of using CIABOC for politically motivated reprisals in the South, while failing to act here.

¶ 06 Therefore, I ask the Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs:

¶ 07 1. Why have no arrests been made of the two doctors concerned despite a formal complaint to CIABOC on 2025.06.03? 2. From 2015 to date, how much public donation money given for the oncology unit has not been deposited into official accounts? Does CIABOC have powers to investigate the alleged financial fraud? 3. Are you aware that with the support of RDHS Dr. Ketheeswaran, the Consultant Oncologist Dr. Krushanthi received money from the public, deposited it in private bank accounts, and misappropriated hospital funds? If so, why has no action been taken? 4. Can a hospital consultant, with or without the knowledge of hospital administration and with the support of the incumbent RDHS Dr. Ketheeswaran, receive public donations and engage in financial transactions? 5. Are you aware that RDHS Dr. Ketheeswaran has entered into a Rs. 30 million building contract for the hospital with the Secretary of the Provincial Health Ministry and the contractor, bypassing due process? Despite my complaint to CIABOC regarding this, why has no action been taken? 6. Why have the two doctors concerned not been arrested despite complaints to the District Coordinating Committee, District Coordinating Meetings, and to CIABOC? 7. Why has your Government taken no action or conducted no investigations against such organized corruption? 8. At least now, will you conduct investigations, examine the relevant bank accounts and the building contract, arrest the offenders, and institute legal action? If not, why?

¶ 08 Thank you.