Tuesday 27th August 2019

In order for us to be able to set up an account for local mobile phone numbers for myself and the children, we need a bank account.  In order to get a bank account, we need a residency visa.  In order to get a residency visa, we need a health card…and so on!……….so many hoops, and every time more paperwork, usually asking the same questions we have answered already, even on occasion for the same government department!

Steve’s work has been amazing in helping us to settle and organise all relevant things (there is many, believe me!) and the health card was one of them.

We had an appointment booked for 19^th September, but a few strings have been pulled and they managed to get us a last-minute appointment on Tuesday 27th August at 8.30, fortunately in the building opposite the school. Kids went in the morning to get a tick for morning’s attendance and then we walked directly across the road to the Sri Lanka Institute of Bankers building (Hence the photos of the school).  First, another security check – they are everywhere since the Easter atrocities.

We arrived in the waiting room (by the lift) half of the room full of monks in orange habits (“Mummy how old do you have to be to become a monk”? Asked Emilka.)

We had to be there 30 mins before our appointment to fill 4 forms and when 8.30 came, I was able to book myself a Number 2 token to go in.

Registration and photo taken – when we realised, that only Steve was booked for the check, our heart sank. However a kind lady managed to put us all four through. She took our photographs and put our details into their system – all is done under the passport’s number.

Consent form – In another room, we were given the relevant information and signed a consent form to be screened for Tuberculosis, HIV and Filariasis (Filariasis is a parasitic disease caused by an infection with roundworms of the Filarioidea type. These are spread by blood-feeding dipteria such as black flies and mosquitoes. This disease belongs to the group of diseases called helminthiases. Eight known filarial nematodes use humans as their definitive hosts).

Cashier – we paid 72$ per person to proceed further.

Blood test – kids were very brave to have blood test done from their veins, two tubes of 1-5mls blood taken (yellow and purple).

Chest X-ray – we were given blue gown to put on and had the x-ray.

We had to wait for about an hour for the results, so we went to a 1^st floor to a cafeteria – dirty, manky, dry food – kids had chocolate cake and Steve had two spicy vegetable rolls warmed in a microwave.

We got back up, waited some more and few minutes later, the receptionist told us to go to see the doctor for Consultation – One by one, he asked us serious questions such us: Have you been unwell in the past 3 months? Have you had persistent cough for a month now? In the last month, have you had significant weigh loss? Do you cough blood? Have you come into contact with someone with TBC?  Have you been hospitalised for any respiratory illness in the last 3 3 months? We heard it four time and all the answers were NO!

We all passed! HURA!!!!!!!!! A certificate was printed for us to go and get the cards. It is card as big as bank card, which will give us free health care in any government hospitals and A&E. A very efficient process with lots of people involved, all wearing white coat apart from the receptionists.

We left happy with our cards, kids went to school just for the end of their 4^th period and lunch. We took taxi via Security company to have our picture taken for the school passes with Steve and came home. Steve frustrated, that his morning was wasted as he was expecting to be there maximum 1 hour. When I saw the forms I was filling, and the packed waiting room, I knew we were likely to be there the whole morning.  I had exactly 60 minutes at home to have something to eat and then going to get a taxi to pick up the kids from school.

I hope getting this card is only for the bank account setting and we will never need it for any hospital admission ever!

We know of an English lady, whose husband contracted Dengue fever in their first month of stay and she knows of two people, who are in hospital with it right now.  I hope we will keep well and healthy.

Wish us luck.

Rennie