Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2017-02-21

Establishment of a Modern Neonatal Centre at the De Soysa Maternity Hospital in Colombo

- The De Soysa Maternity Hospital situated in the heart of the Colombo City adjoining the Medical Faculty of the University of Colombo, provides medical services including Maternity, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sub-fertility, Baby Care and Family Planning and Medical Care. At the same time, it contributes to training medical undergraduates and postgraduates also of the University of Colombo. Along with the deliveries at the De Soysa Maternity Hospital and the complicated number of transfers of mothers and babies from peripheral hospitals reach a high number, the improvement and expansion of the Premature Baby Unit (PBU) and the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) of the hospital is a high priority requirement and the Cabinet has already granted its approval to raise funds for the purpose.

Accordingly, the proposal made by Hon. (Dr.) Rajitha Senaratne, the Minister of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine, to construct a SCBU within the hospital with the funds provided by the Government of France, with a view to improving the qualitative services of the Neonatal and Specialist Baby Care Services of the De Soysa Maternity Hospital, was approved by the Cabinet.