The government has taken steps to resume work on 25 large-scale development projects in the health sector, including several major hospitals and other facilities that were previously initiated and later halted across the country.
The Ministry of Health and Mass Media stated that these initiatives have been launched to ensure the delivery of a high-quality and efficient healthcare service to the public. The programme is being implemented under the guidance and direction of Health and Mass Media Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa.
The projects included under this initiative consist of major infrastructure developments that were commenced in 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2024 but were subsequently suspended due to various reasons. A total of 25 large-scale projects have been selected for completion under this programme.
A budget allocation of Rs. 16,000 million has been made under the 2025 budget to complete these priority projects, while Rs. 19,000 million has been allocated for 2026. A further Rs. 38,000 million is planned for allocation in 2027.
The projects cover key healthcare areas including the strengthening of maternal and child health services, expansion of cancer treatment facilities, cardiac and thalassemia care services, development of the Ministry’s main office and national centres, emergency care services, staff housing, and environmentally friendly medical waste management systems.
Among the completed or near-completed projects are the upgraded maternity and ward complex at De Soysa Hospital for Women (2019 project, Rs. 389 million), and the 12-storey “Punchi Hadawath” (Little Hearts) Unit at the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children (2017 project, Rs. 6,218 million), which has now reached its final stage.
The second phase of the National Cancer Treatment Unit at Kandy National Hospital (2016 project), an eight-storey building, has also been completed with Rs. 400 million allocated in the current budget.
Construction work is ongoing at several other major facilities, including the 10-storey and six-storey cancer care buildings at Badulla Teaching Hospital, for which Rs. 1,000 million has been allocated for 2026.
Projects nearing completion include the accident and emergency unit at Jaffna Teaching Hospital, surgical unit at Karapitiya Teaching Hospital, kidney care units in Batticaloa and Hambantota, and the bone marrow transplant unit at Kandy National Hospital. A total of Rs. 1,750 million has been allocated for these developments in 2026.
The Health Ministry’s main office building, initiated in 2014 and previously halted, is also in its final stages of completion, with Rs. 3,000 million allocated in the 2026 budget.
In addition, construction and development work is progressing on emergency and outpatient units at several hospitals including Mullaitivu, Kegalle, Trincomalee, Ampara, Chilaw, and Kandy. An allocation of Rs. 1,750 million has been set aside for these projects.
The government also plans to install 15 medical waste incinerators across hospitals islandwide by the end of this year under a joint initiative with JICA, which is currently being implemented successfully.
Furthermore, several infrastructure projects for nursing education and administration are also underway, including facilities at Ratnapura Hospital, Kalutara, Anuradhapura, and the Sri Jayewardenepura Nursing Faculty.
An additional Rs. 8,800 million has been allocated for the renovation and rehabilitation of hospital infrastructure nationwide.
The Health Ministry further stated that Minister Nalinda Jayatissa has instructed relevant authorities to expedite the completion of all projects and bring them into service for public benefit as soon as possible.
