A recent audit report released by the National Audit Office reveals that the child population in Sri Lanka is facing a stark deficit in pediatric beds, with a ratio of 724 children per pediatric bed.
The audit revealed that there are 8,466,465 children under the age of 15 in the country, while the current number of available children’s beds stands at 11,693.
This shortage is especially pronounced for children under 12 years of age, who are primarily admitted to pediatric wards.
The report underscores that there is a significant mismatch between the distribution of child population among different districts and the allocation of children’s beds. Specifically, the audit pointed out that hospitals under the regional health service directorates in Ratnapura, Kegalle, Trincomalee, Kurunegala, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Vavuniya, and Matale are facing a severe lack of pediatric beds.
The issue is not limited to these districts alone. The audit report also highlighted insufficient availability of children’s beds in hospitals under the regional health service directorates in Gampaha, Kalutara, Nuwara Eliya, and Puttalam.
The revelation of such a significant shortage of pediatric beds raises concerns about the ability of Sri Lanka’s healthcare system to adequately cater to the medical needs of its child population.
