Sri Lanka invests in developing 1,000 rural hospitals to strengthen health sector

The Sri Lankan government has made a large investment to develop the hospitals in the country to strengthen the health sector, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said today.
The President speaking at a ceremony held today to declare open the new Third Medical Ward Complex at the Colombo National Hospital said the government is committed to improve quality of public sector health services in the country and has taken every measure to improve the health sector similar to the way it defeated terrorism.

Recalling that the government allocated a large amount of money to improve the healthcare system even when the government is combating the terrorism, the President said the government considers developing base hospitals and rural hospitals as one of its most important responsibilities.

Under the government's national health policy 1,000 rural hospitals are being upgraded now, he added.

The President also said the government will soon implement the Senaka Bibile drug policy to provide high quality drugs at an affordable price to the public.

The Ministry of Healthcare and Nutrition has spent Rs. 463 million to build the 10-story ward complex. The 422- bed ward complex will increase the number of beds at the Colombo National Hospital to 3,572.

Minister of Health Maithripala Sirisena, Deputy Minister Lalith Dissanayake, Secretary of Health Ministry Dr. Nihal Jayathilaka, Director General of Health Services Dr. Palitha Mahipala and Governor of Western Province Alevi Maulana also participated in the occasion.