Protest Held Outside Health Ministry Demanding Justice for Child Who Died Following Surgery at Colombo Hospital

A protest was held outside the Ministry of Health, with the parents of a young child demanding justice over the child's death following a surgical procedure at the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children in Colombo.

The child, Hamdi Faleem, aged two years and eight months, died on December 24, 2022, after both kidneys were reportedly removed during surgery at the hospital.

The parents staged the protest, claiming that no justice had been delivered despite nearly three years having passed since the incident. They called on the Ministry of Health to take immediate action and ensure that those responsible were held accountable.

The parents said they had initially hoped that the current government would resolve the matter. However, they expressed disappointment that their efforts to obtain justice had still not produced a satisfactory outcome.

They appealed directly to the Minister of Health and Mass Media to intervene and ensure that the matter was addressed without further delay.

MP Mujibur Rahuman Joins the Protest

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Parliamentarian Mujibur Rahuman also joined the protest and called for accountability over the incident.

Addressing the demonstrators, Rahuman said the child had undergone surgery at Lady Ridgeway Hospital due to a kidney-related condition, during which both kidneys had reportedly been removed by the medical team.

He noted that legal proceedings concerning the incident were currently before the courts.

Rahuman further stated that approximately three and a half years ago, the child's parents had lodged a complaint with the Director General of Health Services. They had reportedly been informed that an investigation would be conducted and a report issued. However, he claimed that the report had still not been provided.

He also recalled that the matter had been raised in Parliament in 2023, during the tenure of former Health Minister Ramesh Pathirana, but the requested report had not been made available at that time.

According to Rahuman, the current government had also failed to release the report. He further claimed that the doctors involved in the surgery were no longer in Sri Lanka.

The MP questioned the continued delay in releasing the investigation report and alleged that the Ministry of Health was deliberately avoiding its disclosure.

He said he would once again raise the matter with the Ministry and seek clarification regarding the outstanding report.