More than 5,000 patients are currently on the waiting list for kidney stone removal surgery across Sri Lanka, Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa has said, warning that the true figure could exceed 10,000.
The minister made the remarks at the opening of a new Kidney Stone Treatment Centre in Meerigama. He said the Kegalle Hospital alone had recorded at least 2,000 kidney stone patients, and Kandy at least 1,500, illustrating the scale of the backlog straining the public health system.
To help clear the queue, the government plans to use the new Meerigama centre alongside operating theatres in existing government hospitals. The dedicated facility is intended to expand surgical capacity and shorten waiting times for patients who currently face long delays for treatment.
Kidney disease has become a major public health concern in Sri Lanka, particularly chronic kidney disease of unknown origin (CKDu), which has affected farming communities in the North-Central Province for years. Officials have repeatedly flagged shortages of surgical slots, specialist staff and equipment as obstacles to timely care.
The minister said the Meerigama centre is part of a broader effort to distribute specialist services beyond the main tertiary hospitals in Colombo, Kandy and Kegalle, and to reduce the burden on those facilities.
