• Deputy Health Min. notes need to pursue ‘health economy’

Despite a government-appointed committee identifying the General John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) Hospital as a burden on the general Treasury, the Ministry of Health stated that there are no immediate plans for any policy changes regarding the hospital.

A government-appointed committee tasked with reviewing the role of 160 state institutions and recommending improvements had identified the KDU Hospital as a burden.

When queried by The Daily Morning as to whether the Government would consider any policy changes regarding the KDU Hospital in light of this revelation, Deputy Minister of Health Dr. Hansaka Wijemuni said that there are no immediate plans for a policy change. 

“We will continue as it is for now. Several other hospitals face similar issues. As a long-term solution, we need to consider a ‘health economy’. A health economy is not about charging patients. But, we should ensure that public funds used to maintain these institutions are spent effectively,” he said.

The KDU Hospital in Werahera, Boralesgamuwa, is an 814-bed teaching hospital designed to offer a range of specialised medical services. It features an intensive care unit, cardiac catheterisation lab, oncology unit, and modular theatres, with a unique hybrid theatre – the first of its kind in Sri Lanka. 

The hospital opened in May 2017 and provides emergency care, specialised treatments, and clinical services in major areas such as general medicine, surgery, paediatrics, and obstetrics and gynaecology. For those seeking private consultations, the hospital has a dedicated section with 50 paying beds and six suites.