Saudi grants Rs 2.5 bn to health sector

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia agreed to provide a soft loan of Saudi Riyal 75 million (Rs 2.2 billion) for the construction of an Epilepsy Hospital and a supplementary loan of Saudi Riyal 11 million (Rs 320 million ) for the construction of a Neuro-Trauma Centre at the Colombo General Hospital. The two loans will be provided through the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD).

The new Epilepsy Hospital will be a specialised facility for epilepsy patients with a capacity of 242 beds and facilities required for intensive care and inpatient care treatment. The project includes the construction of a new seven storied building with a total floor area of 15,000 sq.m within the premises of the Colombo National Hospital and the provision of medical equipment, including MRI and CT Scanners and X-Ray machines.

The hospital consists of operation theatres, intensive care units, high dependency unit, male and female post-operative wards, a pediatric ward, and a neuro-surgical unit. At present there are no such facilities to care for epilepsy patients.

In 2002, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia provided a loan of Saudi Riyal 45 million (Rs 1.1 billion) for the construction of the Neuro -Trauma Centre at the Colombo General Hospital and the construction of the building is nearly completed. The proposed supplementary loan (Rs 320 million) will finance the procurement of equipment which are required for the centre.

To date, the total amount of loans extended by the Saudi Fund for Development to Sri Lanka amounts to Saudi Riyal 404 million, equivalent to approximately US$ 108 million. Further, a number of new projects are under consideration for financing by the Saudi Fund.

The Saudi Fund assures its continued support for the development programme of Sri Lanka.

The Agreements for the two loans were signed at the Ministry of Finance and Planning by Dr. P.B. Jayasundera, Secretary, Ministry of Finance and Planning on behalf of the Government of Sri Lanka and H.E. Eng.Yousef Al Bassam, Vice Chairman, Saudi Fund for Development on behalf of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.