Health and Mass Media Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa stated that the Government had to spend an extra Rs.30 billion (more than double the estimated cost) to complete 17 projects in the health sector that have been halted mid-way or delayed in the past.

The Minister said the Government currently has to bear a cost of Rs.59 billion for the 17 projects, and that if those projects had been completed within the stipulated time frame, those projects could have been made vested with the public for Rs. 29 billion.

The Minister was speaking at a ceremony to inaugurate infrastructure and physical development at the Ampara District Hospital recently. Accordingly, steps were taken to restart several development projects at the hospital that had been halted.

Accordingly, the construction work that commenced on the new Accident and Emergency Unit (A&E) at a financial cost of Rs.950 million and the Catheterisation Laboratory Unit Complex at a project cost of Rs. 354 million was inspected by the Health and Mass Media Minister.

These projects are scheduled to be completed in 2026. In addition, the project to improve the internal road system of the Ampara Hospital was also initiated, and the newly provided ambulance with modern facilities and the mobile laboratory vehicle were also donated to the hospital.

Addressing the ceremony held afterwards, Minister Jayatissa said that since the Ampara District Hospital provides healthcare services to around 800,000 people in the Ampara District and a large number of people in the surrounding areas, steps will be taken to upgrade the hospital to a higher level.

Accordingly, the Minister also pointed out that plans were made to resume the construction of the Emergency and Response Unit and the Catheterisation Laboratory Unit, which had been halted in the past, and to complete those projects within a stipulated time.

The Minister emphasised, if the construction of the Accident and Emergency Unit had been completed within the stipulated time, the Government would have had to spend Rs. 873 million, and to complete the re-started project, it would have to incur a cost of double that amount, Rs. 1589 million.

The Minister also said if the Catheterisation Laboratory Unit Complex project was completed within the stipulated time it would have cost only Rs.354 million, and now the Government will have to incur a cost of Rs. 720 million to restart work and complete the project.