The Ministry of Health and Mass Media is distributing 11 new computed tomography (CT) scanners worth a combined Rs. 1.95 billion to teaching, national and district general hospitals across Sri Lanka, in what officials describe as the largest single state-sector diagnostic-equipment upgrade in years.
The programme, implemented under Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, replaces an ageing fleet of 16-slice scanners with 64-slice and 128-slice systems that produce higher-quality images and enable faster diagnosis of strokes, cancers, heart disease, trauma injuries and vascular conditions.
A 128-slice CT scanner valued at over Rs. 200 million has already been installed at Kalutara Teaching Hospital, and a second scanner worth around Rs. 160 million has been installed at Kurunegala Teaching Hospital. The Ministry has separately procured four more advanced scanners, worth around Rs. 640 million in total, for the National Hospital of Sri Lanka, the National Hospital in Kandy, Karapitiya Teaching Hospital in Galle and the Colombo South Teaching Hospital, funded with assistance from the Asian Development Bank. Installation work on those four units is under way.
Procurement is also being arranged for a further five high-end scanners worth roughly Rs. 950 million, to be installed at Kuliyapitiya Teaching Hospital and the district general hospitals in Dambulla, Nawalapitiya, Chilaw and Mannar. The Ministry said the rollout extends to provincial council hospitals as well, with the aim of narrowing the gap in access to advanced imaging between urban and outlying districts.
Officials framed the spending as part of broader health-sector reforms aimed at reducing treatment delays, improving clinical decision-making and managing the rising burden of non-communicable diseases, road traffic injuries and an ageing population on the state system. The investment sits alongside other recent infrastructure commitments under the same minister, including a Rs. 12 billion, 16-storey heart treatment centre planned for the National Hospital.
