Sri Lanka’s state hospital system will receive four advanced cardiac catheterisation laboratory (cath lab) units within the next week as part of efforts to strengthen cardiac care services and reduce patient waiting times.
The Ministry of Health and Mass Media said the initiative is being implemented under the direction of Health and Mass Media Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa to modernise and expand heart care services in the country.
Each cath lab is valued at approximately Rs. 300 million, bringing the total investment to Rs. 1.2 billion.
According to the ministry, one unit will be installed at the Jaffna Teaching Hospital on June 27, another at the Colombo South Teaching Hospital in Kalubowila on June 30, while two additional units will be installed at the National Hospital of Sri Lanka in Colombo on July 2.
The new facilities will be equipped with Canon Alphenix Core+ Evolve Edition cardiac catheterisation systems featuring artificial intelligence-based real-time imaging technology, which is designed to improve procedural accuracy while reducing radiation exposure.
Cath labs are specialised medical facilities used to diagnose and treat heart and blood vessel diseases. They support procedures including coronary angiography, angioplasty, coronary stent placement, heart valve interventions, electrophysiology studies and the treatment of abnormal heart rhythms.
The ministry said the advanced systems will enable doctors to perform faster, safer and minimally invasive procedures, reducing the need for open-heart surgery in many cases.
The equipment also includes DDS technology, a live three-dimensional stent visualisation system that provides detailed imaging during procedures without requiring additional scans, helping to reduce both radiation exposure and procedure times.
Officials said the new systems will also improve workflow by enabling clinicians to access multiple imaging sources and patient information through a single display, supporting faster and more accurate clinical decision-making.
The Ministry expects the addition of the four cath labs to significantly improve access to advanced cardiac care and shorten waiting lists for diagnosis and treatment in the state hospital system.