We met with Dr. Shanty, the gynecologist/obstetrician in charge. She reported that at this point, with very limited tools, personnel and capacities, she is holding two clinics per week, seeing 40 to 50 patients per clinic. And, although her patients love working with her, only 1 to 2 mothers per month deliver their babies under her supervision, since the facilities don't allow deliveries any more. There have not been any repairs since the year 1976, so the problems are exotic: The buildings have neither doors nor windows, which invites monkeys to come into the building and destroy mattresses and furniture, and steal the food the mothers bring. There is no privacy or safety for the mothers if they decide to stay. So, most of the highly expectant mothers travel long distances to the next hospitals in Dikwella or Matara to deliver their babies.

Dr. Shanty still sees as many patients as possible on an outpatient basis, examining them and giving out medication. The day we visited her, June 18, 2005, after just having seen 100 patients that day, she received the bad news, that out of her three midwives, two were called to Dikwella, since her facilities didn't warrant them to stay.

The Ministry of Health and the local health authorities confirmed the urgent need of upgrading some of the rural hospitals in the Matara district. They have already developed a master plan for the restoration and improvement of health care institutions in this area. According to this plan, the Periphal Unit in Thalalla needs urgently to be renovated and upgraded in order to relief the Matara General hospital. The Ministry of Health and the local health authorities are ready to sign the MOU for this project. With the renovation and upgrading of the facilities, more extensive medical personnel would be provided.