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LankaTalks
LankaTalks
Mar 11 2026
46The Sri Lankan government has signaled a strong commitment to expanding public-private partnerships (PPPs) within the healthcare sector, aligning with industry leaders who view collaborative governance as the key to unlocking the country’s medical potential.
Policymakers and private healthcare executives emphasised at the healthcare summit that deeper integration is required to manage rising costs, advance medical tourism, and alleviate the burden on the state’s free healthcare system.
Addressing the gathering, Deputy Minister of Health Dr. Hansaka Wijemuni highlighted the state’s readiness to embrace private sector capabilities. He noted that the continuous demand for specialized treatments and advanced technology requires infrastructure that the government cannot build in isolation.
The government is looking forward to the private sector to step up its capacity to ensure that everyone has access to quality care and specialized treatments. This is not a task we can take on alone. The private sector brings efficiency, innovation, investment, and specialized expertise, Dr. Wijemuni stated.
He further emphasized that the future of the nation’s medical landscape is not about public versus private, but rather about both sectors working together to create a stronger, more accessible healthcare system for the public.
The private sector, which currently handles a significant portion of the country’s medical needs, is eager to capitalize on this collaborative vision.
Former Association of Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes (APHNH) President and Hemas Hospitals Managing Director Dr. Lakith Peiris pointed out that the industry has evolved into a central pillar of the national ecosystem. Backed by around 55 private hospitals with inpatient facilities and over 30 parallel services, the sector is well-positioned for integration. The most significant opportunity lies in public-private partnerships, Dr. Peiris explained, drawing parallels to successful models in other regions such as Thailand.
However, realizing this potential requires significant policy shifts and a change in regulatory attitudes. APHNH President and Ruhunu Hospital CEO Raveen Wickramasinghe noted that out-of-pocket healthcare spending in Sri Lanka currently stands at about 75 percent, illustrating the massive demand the private sector already absorbs.
To maximise this value, he urged the government to reconsider restrictive tariffs and taxes on medical equipment imports. The prevailing mindset must shift to view the private sector as a partner rather than a competitor, replacing skepticism with collaborative governance, Wickramasinghe asserted.
Beyond local care, panelists highlighted medical tourism as a highly lucrative avenue for a unified healthcare strategy. Leveraging Sri Lanka’s highly respected clinical expertise and international-level hospital accreditations alongside its traditional leisure tourism appeal could position the island as a regional healthcare hub. Furthermore, greater operational efficiency and shared infrastructure between public and private entities could help manage escalating financial pressures across the broader ecosystem.
Source: The morning
