Contrary to the statements issued by parties with vested interests, the Dr. Neville Fernando Teaching Hospital (NFTH) hospital valued at Rs.3.55 billion was ceremonially handed over to the Government to augment the free health care provided by the Government to Sri Lankan citizens.

As per the Cabinet Memorandum approved by the Cabinet, the mortgage rights of the hospital will remain with the Bank of Ceylon (BoC) until such time all loans are repaid by SAITM within the next 10 years, after which all titles of ownership will be vested with the Government of Sri Lanka.

The land which is owned by the Urban Development Authority (UDA) will be sub leased to the Ministry of Health for a nominal rent of Rs.1,000 per annum.

This arrangement was materialized under the advocacy of attorneys of BoC, the government and SAITM in the best interest of all stakeholders. Furthermore, SAITM would like to clarify that the GoSL has not made any form of payment to SAITM as compensation or lease under said agreement.

The NFTH was ceremonially handed over to the government of Sri Lanka on July 17 in the presence of His Excellency President Maithreepala Sirisena, Minister of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine Hon Dr. Rajitha Senaratne and Minister of Higher Education and Highways Hon. Lakshman Kiriella.

Accordingly, a tri-party agreement will be signed by the Chairman of SAITM, Secretary to the Ministry of Health and General Manager Bank of Ceylon, formally handing over of the Dr. Neville Fernando Teaching Hospital which will function as a government hospital offering free healthcare effective August 1, 2017.

The Management of SAITM aspires to work alongside the government, as it has done in the past, to uplift the healthcare sector in Sri Lanka and to thereby enable all citizens access efficient and quality health services from qualified professionals.