India to give financial assistance to Sri Lanka to build hospital unit in Mannar

India and Sri Lanka signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the construction of an Accident and Emergency Unit at the District General Hospital in Mannar, backed by a grant of 600 million Sri Lankan Rupees. The MoU was signed by Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha and Health Secretary Dr. Anil Jasinghe in the presence of Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa in Colombo on Monday, September, 8, 2025. The project will see the construction of a two-storey unit and supply of medical equipment, addressing a critical gap in emergency care. It is expected to save lives by enabling timely treatment and easing overcrowding in the hospital. The initiative is part of India’s wider cooperation in Sri Lanka’s health sector, which includes the Suwa Seriya 1990 ambulance service, hospital upgrades in the North and East, and the 150-bed hospital at Dickoya.