The Government has decided to get operation theatres in private hospitals in Colombo and the suburbs on rent to avoid congestion in Government hospitals. The President’s Chief of Staff, Sagala Ratnayake has instructed the Secretary, Ministry of Health to prepare a project report and present it to him promptly.
Ratnayake has decided to take this step after learning that patients have to wait a long time for surgeries at the National Hospital and other hospitals in Colombo due to a lack of space in operation theatres.
Ratnayake said that he had discussed the matter with the directors of several private hospitals and that the President’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake and he had received a positive response.
The directors of the private hospitals had promised Ratnayake that in the event that the surgeries are not performed in private hospitals, they can be given to the hospitals for a reasonable rent.
Ratnayake had also informed the Secretary, Ministry of Health, Janaka Sri Chandraguptha to prepare and deliver a formal program on how to get operation theatres in private hospitals and how to direct the staff including government specialists to them.