The Ministry of Health and Mass Media has announced plans to install 16 new cardiac catheterisation laboratories (cath labs) in government hospitals across Sri Lanka this year for Rs. 3.1 billion, significantly expanding the country’s cardiac treatment capacity.
The project is being implemented under the guidance of Health and Mass Media Minister Dr Nalinda Jayatissa with the aim of improving access to advanced heart disease diagnosis and treatment services islandwide.
According to the Ministry, the new cath labs will be established at the National Hospitals in Colombo, Kandy, and Galle, Teaching Hospitals in Batticaloa, Ratnapura, Badulla, Galle, Jaffna, Kalubowila, Anuradhapura, and Kurunegala, as well as the District General Hospital in Trincomalee.
The Ministry stated that Rs. 715 million has been allocated to install four advanced cath labs at the Teaching Hospitals in Batticaloa, Ratnapura, and Badulla, and at the National Hospital in Galle.
Meanwhile, under the Asian Development Bank-funded Health System Enhancement Project, Rs. 1,188 million will be spent to install three cath labs at the National Hospital in Colombo and one each at the National Hospital in Kandy and the Teaching Hospitals in Jaffna and Kalubowila.
In addition, six cath labs will be installed with assistance from the Japan International Cooperation Agency for Rs. 1,200 million. Two of these units will be installed at the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital, while one each will be set up at the Kurunegala and Badulla Teaching Hospitals, the National Hospital in Kandy, and the Trincomalee District General Hospital.
At present, cath lab services are available at the National Hospitals in Colombo, Kandy, and Galle, and the Teaching Hospitals in Jaffna, Kurunegala, Ragama, Kalutara, and Anuradhapura. Facilities are also available at the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children, the Sirimavo Bandaranaike Specialised Children’s Hospital, and the Polonnaruwa District General Hospital.
With the addition of the new machines, the total number of cath labs in the state hospital system will increase to 26.
