The new five‑storey maternity and surgical ward complex of the Monaragala District General Hospital was vested in the public today (04) under the patronage of Minister of Health Nalinda Jayatissa, marking a major step in strengthening healthcare services for the people of Uva Wellassa.
According to the Ministry of Health, built at a cost of over Rs. 857 million, the complex includes maternity wards on the ground and first floors, women’s surgical wards on the second and third floors, and plans for four modern operating theatres equipped with advanced medical technology on the fourth floor.
The Ministry of Health further said it expects to spend more than Rs. 2,900 million on the entire project.
Following the opening, the Health Minister inspected several hospital facilities including the outpatient department, clinics, wards, pharmacy, emergency treatment unit, kitchen, drug stores, blood transfusion unit, laboratory, and blood bank, while reviewing ongoing development work.
He noted that Ampara General Hospital, Badulla Teaching Hospital, and Monaragala District General Hospital are being developed under one system to provide efficient health services to nearly 2.8 million people in the three districts.
He highlighted that construction of the Monaragala complex began in August 2019 and was initially scheduled for completion in February 2022 at a cost of Rs. 793 million. However, delays pushed the estimated cost to Rs. 2,961 million. So far, Rs. 1,400 million has been spent, with Rs. 500 million allocated this year to complete the operating theatres and make the building fully functional by year’s end.
Minister Jayatissa also revealed that 69 projects halted midway have been identified, with costs now tripled or quadrupled compared to initial estimates. He said Rs. 59 billion will be required to complete projects scheduled for this year and next, though they could have been finished for Rs. 28 billion if completed on time.
Emphasizing that infrastructure alone is not enough, Minister Jayatissa said the Health Ministry has already implemented programs to provide medical equipment and staff. He announced that a modern CT scan machine will be provided to Monaragala Hospital next year, along with development projects worth Rs. 317 million.
Hospital staff and residents had earlier raised concerns about inadequate facilities, prompting the Minister to restart construction in 2019.
The official website of the Monaragala District General Hospital was also launched during the event.
Serving more than half a million people, the Monaragala District General Hospital is the main healthcare institution in the district. Established in 1876 as a central dispensary, it was upgraded to a base hospital in 1990 and designated a district general hospital in 2005.
