Government Revives 25 Stalled Healthcare Mega Projects to Strengthen National Health Services

The Government has launched an ambitious programme to resume and complete 25 large-scale healthcare development projects that had been initiated under previous administrations but were subsequently delayed or abandoned. The accelerated initiative is being carried out under the guidance of Health and Mass Media Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa with the aim of significantly enhancing healthcare infrastructure and services across the country.

The comprehensive programme covers major hospital and healthcare sector projects that commenced between 2014 and 2024 but remained incomplete due to various challenges. Recognizing the importance of these developments, the Government has allocated substantial funding through the national budget to ensure their completion. Financial provisions include Rs. 16 billion in 2025, Rs. 19 billion in 2026, and a planned allocation of Rs. 38 billion in 2027.

The projects encompass a broad range of healthcare infrastructure developments, including facilities for maternal and child healthcare, cancer treatment services, cardiac and thalassaemia care, emergency and accident services, healthcare staff accommodation, national health administration centres, and environmentally sustainable waste management systems.

Among the completed projects is the Maternity and Ward Complex at De Soysa Hospital for Women. Construction, which began in 2019, has now been successfully concluded with the facility equipped with state-of-the-art medical amenities. The project was completed with an investment of Rs. 389 million.

Significant progress has also been achieved at Lady Ridgeway Hospital, where the construction of the 12-storey “Little Hearts” Centre, initiated in 2017, has entered its final phase. The project, which will provide advanced cardiac care for children, has received an estimated allocation of Rs. 6.218 billion.

At the National Hospital in Kandy, the eight-storey building under the second phase of the Cancer Treatment Unit has been completed after overcoming previous delays. Construction commenced in 2016, and Rs. 400 million was allocated from this year’s budget to facilitate its completion.

Meanwhile, construction is continuing at the Teaching Hospital in Badulla, where a ten-storey hospital building and a six-storey Cancer Care Unit are currently under development. The Government has earmarked Rs. 1 billion for these projects in 2026.

Several other major healthcare developments are also nearing completion. These include the Stage II Accident and Emergency Treatment Unit at Jaffna Teaching Hospital, the Surgical Medical Unit Building at Karapitiya Teaching Hospital, Renal Care Unit Buildings at Batticaloa and Hambantota hospitals, the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit at the National Hospital in Kandy, and the Ministry of Health’s Main Head Office. A combined allocation of Rs. 750 million has been provided for these projects in 2026.

The long-delayed construction of the Ministry of Health’s main office building, which commenced in 2014 before being halted midway, is now approaching completion. To expedite the final stages of construction, Rs. 3 billion has been allocated under the 2026 budget.

In addition, healthcare service delivery continues to improve through the successful operation and ongoing development of the Diagnostic Division of the National Stroke Centre in Mulleriyawa, as well as Outpatient Departments and Accident Units at hospitals in Kegalle, Trincomalee, Ampara, Chilaw, and Kandy. The Government has allocated Rs. 1.75 billion to support these initiatives.

The revival and completion of these long-pending projects represent one of the largest healthcare infrastructure investment programmes in recent years. Once fully implemented, the initiative is expected to strengthen healthcare accessibility, improve treatment capacity, enhance patient care standards, and support the long-term development of Sri Lanka’s public health system.