New Medical College Complex Inaugurated in Sri Lanka
A new medical college complex in southwestern Sri Lanka, financed by the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD), was inaugurated on Saturday, marking the latest Saudi assistance aimed at improving healthcare and education in the island nation. The $50 million project for the Faculty of Medicine at the Sabaragamuwa University covers academic buildings, laboratories, a library, a 1,000-seat auditorium, student hostels, staff quarters, and a professorial unit at the nearby Ratnapura teaching hospital.
Collaboration with Sri Lankan Government
The investment is a collaboration with the Sri Lankan government, which built administrative and paraclinical buildings, as well as additional infrastructure in the complex. Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, who is also the country’s education minister, attended the inauguration ceremony along with SFD Deputy CEO Faisal Al-Kahtani, and Saudi Ambassador to Sri Lanka Khalid bin Hamoud Al-Kahtani.
Dean Highlights Modern Facilities
“Together, this partnership has created one of Sri Lanka’s newest and most modern medical education facilities,” Nirmali Wickramaratne, dean of the Faculty of Medicine, told Arab News. With the sprawling new complex, the faculty will be able to help increase the country’s capacity to train qualified medical professionals, strengthen clinical education and research, and support the delivery of quality healthcare services. “It will contribute to improving healthcare access in the Sabaragamuwa Province, while helping address Sri Lanka’s future healthcare workforce needs,” she said.
Addressing Healthcare Worker Shortage
Sri Lanka has struggled with a shortage of skilled healthcare workers for years. In 2024, there were only about 110 medical officers and 228 nurses for every 100,000 people in the country, health ministry data showed. The Faculty of Medicine at Sabaragamuwa University is only the 10th of its kind in the country of 22 million people, said Ameer Ajwad, Sri Lanka’s envoy to Saudi Arabia. “It will enable more qualified students to pursue medical education locally, helping address the shortage of medical professionals, while decentralizing medical education beyond Colombo and other traditional university centers,” he told Arab News.
SFD's Long-Term Partnership
The SFD has been a long-term partner of Sri Lanka, completing crucial developments such as the Colombo Water Supply and Sewerage Project, which improved the capital city’s urban water supply and sanitation infrastructure, and benefitted tens of thousands of households, as well as the Kinniya Bridge — Sri Lanka’s longest bridge — connecting Trincomalee and Kinniya across Koddiyar Bay. SFD-financed initiatives also include the Wayamba University township, a $28 million project that opened to the public last year; the Neuro‑Trauma Unit of the Colombo National Hospital; and the Epilepsy Hospital and Health Center, a specialized 242-bed epilepsy facility, also in the capital.
Continued Support Despite Economic Downturn
“Saudi Arabia was the only country that did not suspend the disbursement of its development assistance to Sri Lanka and continued to provide funding despite the country’s recent economic downturn,” Ajwad said. “These projects are not merely investments in infrastructure; they are investments in people, healthcare, education, regional development, and the future prosperity of Sri Lanka as a whole.” Saudi Arabia’s investment in establishing the Faculty of Medicine is “an investment in people, knowledge, and the future of Sri Lanka’s healthcare sector,” said Al-Kahtani, the Saudi envoy to Sri Lanka. “This achievement stands as a testament to our shared commitment to advancing education, healthcare, and sustainable development,” he told Arab News. “We are confident that this new faculty will play a vital role in educating future generations of medical professionals, serving the people of Sri Lanka, and further strengthening the close friendship and cooperation between our two countries.”
