March 28, Colombo (LNW): The Ministry of Health has announced plans to extend specialist medical services to rural hospitals, aiming to bridge longstanding disparities in healthcare access between urban and remote areas.
Specialist treatment has traditionally been confined to base hospitals and larger medical institutions, leaving residents of rural communities with limited options for advanced healthcare, according to Deputy Minister Dr Hansaka Wijayamuni.
This initiative seeks to address that gap by making specialised medical expertise more widely available at district-level hospitals.
As part of the first phase of the programme, a pilot project will commence next month in six hospitals across the Kandy District.
These facilities will be equipped with essential resources to accommodate visiting specialists, ensuring that patients in outlying regions no longer have to travel long distances for consultations and treatment.
Dr Wijayamuni emphasised that this move is part of a broader strategy to enhance the healthcare system by decentralising services, reducing overcrowding in major hospitals, and improving patient outcomes in underserved areas. If successful, the initiative will be expanded to other districts in the near future.
