Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa says a special programme has been launched to improve facilities in base hospitals across Sri Lanka, with Rs. 31 billion allocated for the initiative.

The Minister made the remarks during an inspection visit to the Base Hospital in Wellawaya, Monaragala District, yesterday (04). 

The programme, implemented by the Ministry of Health and Mass Media, aims to identify and address shortcomings in hospitals managed by both the central government and provincial councils. Its objective is to strengthen the public hospital system and improve patient care services through enhanced facilities and more efficient healthcare delivery.         

During the visit, Dr. Jayatissa inspected several hospital units, including the Outpatient Department (OPD), clinic complex, wards, pharmacy, Emergency Treatment Unit, kitchen, drug storage facilities, dialysis unit, laboratory, blood bank, and ongoing development projects.

Following the inspection, the Minister held discussions with hospital administrators, specialist doctors, medical officers, nurses, and other staff members to identify challenges affecting healthcare service delivery. He also instructed relevant officials to provide immediate solutions to issues that could be addressed without delay.

Dr. Jayatissa commended the dedication of the hospital staff, from specialist doctors to healthcare assistants, for maintaining uninterrupted healthcare services despite existing resource constraints.

He also revealed that the Ministry has established a task force on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) to strengthen prevention efforts. He noted that fragmented operations among existing units had limited the effectiveness of interventions and stressed the need for reforms to improve coordination and outcomes.

Addressing another healthcare initiative, Dr. Jayatissa said that a group of urology specialists had proposed conducting kidney stone surgeries voluntarily at several locations over the coming months. He noted that there is currently a waiting list of around 2,000 patients requiring such procedures.

To support the initiative, the Ministry has facilitated staffing approvals for a new surgical facility at the Base Hospital in Meerigama, where the programme is scheduled to commence on June 12, 2026.

The Minister described the initiative as a unique opportunity for the country's health sector and said the possibility of utilizing the Wellawaya Base Hospital for the programme would also be explored.