(Health Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne with the Health Ministers of SAARC countries)
The construction plan of the SAARC Medical College will be finalised by December, this year, Health Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne had stated.
Minister Senaratne had stated that during the recent SAARC Health Ministers' meeting held in Colombo, that the SAARC Director General presented the proposal to construct a SAARC Medical College and that he pledged to extended his fullest support.
The Minister has also proposed to construct the college in Sri Lanka.
Accordingly, attention has been paid to formulate the plan to construct the SAARC Medical College to be established in Sri Lanka.
Required funds for the projects will be allocated soon, he said.
Students from all SAARC countries will be availed to study medicine and obtain medical degrees for a concessionary price by this new establishment, the Minister had stated.
A total of 1.5 billion people live in SAARC countries.
In Sri Lanka, the Government spends 55 percent of the total cost of the health service while the private sector spends 45 percent, he had stated.