Achala Priyadarshani (25) a final year law faculty student has filed a case before Colombo District Court against the government health authorities and the state claiming Rs.100 million as damages for amputating her left-hand due to medical negligence.

The plaintiff Priyadashani had named Dr. Dilka Saranasinghe the Director of the Matara General Hospital, Dr. Anil Jayasinghe the Director of the Colombo National Hospital, Dr. Palitha Gunaratne Mahipala the Director General of Health, Sudharma Karunaratne the secretary to the Ministry of Health and the Attorney General as the defendants of the case.

She was admitted to the Matara General Hospital on January 17, 2013 with fracture injuries, following the accident at her home, and later transferred to the Colombo National Hospital, where her hand was amputated.

She alleged that the medical staffs of Matara general hospital and Colombo National Hospital should held responsible for the amputation and thereby moved court that the defendants and the state be ordered to pay the amount. The amputation of her armed created a serious controversy involving the health sector of Sri Lanka. 

President Mahinda Rajapaksa too intervened in the matter and instructed authorities to assist her in obtaining an electronic arm. A few months after the incident, the law student received an electronic arm with the assistance of Germany.