Kandakadu Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre previously known as the Kandakadu Drug Rehabilitation Centre is a rehabilitation center located in the

Welikanda Welikanda is a town situated in Polonnaruwa District Polonnaruwa District ( si, පොළොන්නරුව දිස්ත්‍රික්කය; ta, பொலன்னறுவை மாவட்டம்) is one of the 25 districts of S ...

Polonnaruwa District Polonnaruwa District ( si, පොළොන්නරුව දිස්ත්‍රික්කය; ta, பொலன்னறுவை மாவட்டம்) is one of the 25 districts of Sri Lanka, the second level administrative division of ...

, North Central Province in Sri Lanka. It is currently operated by the Bureau of the Commissioner General of Rehabilitation under the

Ministry of Justice A Ministry of Justice is a common type of government department that serves as a justice ministry. Lists of current ministries of justice Named "Ministry" * Ministry of Justice (Abkhazia) * Ministry of Justice (Afghanistan) * Ministry of Just ...

. The rehabilitation centre is currently used to treat drug addicts and COVID-19 patients along with Senapura Rehabilitation Center. The centre was transformed into a Drug Rehabilitation Centre in 2014 to treat drug addicted persons by giving counselling, vocational education and training. In March 2020, the rehabilitation centre was proposed by the Government of Sri Lanka as one of the major quarantine centres to conduct PCR tests for passengers and tourists from foreign countries during the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...

. The Sri Lankan government made compulsory guidelines for passengers from foreign passengers to undergo a 14-day mandatory self quarantine at the centre. The Sri Lankan Army in collaboration with the Ministry of Health upgraded the facilities of the centre by setting up necessary medical tools, Wifi communication tools, thermometers, laundry and entertainment facilities for the patients. In July 2020, the centre became a new epicentre of

COVID-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka The COVID-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka is part of the ongoing worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 () virus. The first case of the virus in Sri Lanka was c ...

recording over 300 cases in the month of July. On 9 July 2020, Sri Lankan Army converted a quarantine centre into a COVID-19 hospital which is close to the Kandakadu Rehabilitation Centre. __TOC__

COVID-19 cluster

On 7 July, a new case was recorded from

Welikada Prison The Welikada Prison (also known as the ''Magazine Prison'') is a maximum security prison and the largest prison in Sri Lanka. It was built in 1841 by the British colonial government under Governor Cameron. The prison covers an area of . It is ove ...

, where an inmate had been transferred from the Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre in East Kandakadu for those addicted to drugs and controlled substances, to the prison on 27 June. On 9 July 2020, a record tally of 253 inmates at Kandakadu Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre were tested positive for

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quickly ...

. On 10 July 2020, a total of 283 people from the Kandakadu Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre were tested positive for COVID-19. The centre emerged as a new COVID-19 cluster in the country.

Frequent Clashes & Controversies

The military's key involvement at the center has often be a topic of controversy amongst human rights activists. Several clashes and inmate breakouts were reported in the recent past. Including the 2022 November clashes the December 2023 escape and the January 2024 clash and breakout.

References

Buildings and structures in Polonnaruwa District COVID-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka Drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers Hospitals established in 2020 Organizations associated with the COVID-19 pandemic Quarantine facilities designated for the COVID-19 pandemic {{COVID-19-stub