State hospitals to double cardiac treatment capacity with 16 new cath labs

The Rs. 3.1 billion project, launched under the direction of Health and Mass Media Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, is aimed at improving access to life-saving heart treatment services and reducing deaths and complications caused by heart disease.

According to the Ministry, the expansion will enable hospitals to provide round-the-clock emergency treatment for heart attack patients while significantly reducing waiting times for cardiac procedures.

The new cath labs will be installed at the national hospitals in Colombo, Kandy and Galle, teaching hospitals in Batticaloa, Ratnapura, Badulla, Jaffna, Kalubowila, Anuradhapura and Kurunegala, and the Trincomalee District General Hospital.

The project includes Rs. 715 million for four advanced cath labs at the Batticaloa, Ratnapura and Badulla Teaching Hospitals and the National Hospital in Galle.

Another Rs. 1,188 million, funded under the Asian Development Bank-supported Health System Enhancement Project, will be used to install three cath labs at the National Hospital in Colombo and one each at the National Hospital in Kandy and the teaching hospitals in Jaffna and Kalubowila.

In addition, six cath labs will be installed with Japanese assistance through JICA at a cost of Rs. 1,200 million. Two units will be installed at the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital, while one each will be placed at the Kurunegala and Badulla Teaching Hospitals, the National Hospital in Kandy and the Trincomalee District General Hospital.

The Ministry noted that cath lab services are currently available only at a limited number of hospitals, including the national hospitals in Colombo, Kandy and Galle, several teaching hospitals and selected specialised institutions.

Following the latest expansion, the total number of cath labs in the government hospital network will rise to 26.

Cath labs are specialised medical units used to diagnose and treat heart disease, including detecting blocked arteries, inserting stents during heart attacks and implanting pacemakers for patients with abnormal heart rhythms.