The demand for eye lenses has gone up by 61,000 due to the availability of free eye lenses for patients who undergo eye surgeries at State hospitals, Health Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne stated.
Minister Senaratne said a total of 89,000 eye lenses are imported to Sri Lanka to provide eye lenses for patients free of charge. Now the demand has gone up to 150,000 eye lenses.
He said so after opening several development projects completed at Ratnapura General Hospital at a cost of Rs. 300 million.
Minister Senaratne also stated that new State Medical Faculties will be set up for Moratuwa and Sabaragamuwa universities. The number of medical students enrolled at Karapitiya Medical Faculty will be increased to 300 from 150. The demand for doctors will go up by three fold in the future, he said.
“No country in the world produces the entire requirement of doctors for that country. Another new hospital will be set up in Sri Lanka and the investment for this hospital has already been received. Medical tourism will be introduced to Sri Lanka soon. All university students will be provided with hostels by 2018,” he added.