Celebrating its commitment to ensuring healthy heart function among its patients and every Sri Lankan, the country’s foremost private healthcare provider Nawaloka Hospitals hosted a Medical Camp at the Nagoda Hospital in Kalutara on September 29, 2022, to celebrate and raise awareness on World Heart Day 2022.

The Medical Camp was conducted under the supervision of Consultant Cardiologist Dr. Wasanthi Rathnayake, and the event saw a promising active participation from doctors, hospital staff as well as patients and individuals present at the occasion.

The keynote speech was delivered by Senior Consultant Cardiologist Dr. Ruwan Ekanayake, who was present alongside Dr. Bathiya Ranasinghe and Dr. Disna Amarathunga, resident consultants at Nagoda Hospital.

“We are on a constant journey, learning and sharing knowledge and expertise on more advanced and new technologies and procedures, with regards to maintaining a healthy heart, for a healthy life. There is no better way we could’ve celebrated this year’s World Heart Day other than hosting this Medical Camp and sharing our knowledge and providing our feedback on questions patients and intrigued individuals may have. I would like to thank the hospital staff and doctors from Nagoda Hospital, Kalutara, for giving us the opportunity to spread awareness on heart-related discussions,” noted Dr.Jayantha Dharmadasa Chairman, Nawaloka hospitals PLC.

Lectures on heart disease and its prevention were hosted with an emphasis on maintaining healthy lifestyles, and following the initial introduction by Dr. Wasanthi Rathnayake, patients were registered for the hospital’s routing programme.

A triage assessment was conducted for patients awaiting coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG), as patients and participants were also explained on the surgery’s procedures and offered a special package. Initial assessment including BMI, BP and RBS were conducted among all other patients at the occasion.

Nawaloka Hospitals entered Sri Lanka’s healthcare sector in 1985, and proceeded to dominate the private healthcare sector in the country. The launch of the hospital and the overwhelming response it received from the people demonstrated a long felt need for superior healthcare in a pleasant environment. The Hospital was a pioneering initiative, established under the Chairmanship of Late Deshamanya H. K. Dharmadasa, to be a centre of excellence in high technology diagnostic and curative facilities. Driven by the Vision to be the Hospital of Tomorrow, the medical institution has come to be known as a centre of excellence and a preferred healthcare institution in the country.

Sri Lanka's foremost private healthcare provider, Nawaloka Hospitals, recently celebrated its 37-year legacy at the pinnacle of the Sri Lankan healthcare sector, with a rejuvenated, highly-advanced portfolio of healthcare services to benefit both local and international patients. The pioneering private healthcare provider marked the occasion with a series of events to mark the occasion on the 20^th and 21^st of September, 2022.

The anniversary celebrations commenced with the unveiling of Nawaloka Hospital’s premium primary care unit, ‘Serene Center’ with an elevated, brand new look to better cater to the comfort and convenience of its patients, along with a new radiology unit in the same building – helping the hospital to meet a diverse array of patient requirements under one roof. The launch was attended by Nawaloka Hospitals Chairman, Dr Jayantha Dharmadasa, Deputy Chairman Anisha Dharmadasa and the company’s Board of Directors.

This was followed by the Annual capping ceremony of over 38 student nurses graduating from the Hospital’s very own Nurses Training School - joined by their parents. The yearly graduation demonstrates the care and commitment Nawaloka Hospitals invests in improving the standards of healthcare expertise through both its staff force and infrastructure to ensure only the best clinical outcomes for its patients.  The celebrations further continued by awarding over 15 staff members at hospital in recognition of their 25+ years of dedicated service to the hospital.

Throughout the day, Nawaloka Hospital also hosted a medical camp and various other promotions at the hospital, where the first 100 patients were gifted with totally free consultations. On the 21^st of September, the hospital hosted another medical camp particularly for the benefit of its employees. The Hospital also intends to host a special inter-department cricket tournament on the 2^nd of October.

"Our journey of healing began in Colombo with the launch of the country's first private hospital to offer tertiary care services. Over the years, Nawaloka has earned international recognition for its highly skilled medical talent and world-class infrastructure that enable it to deliver clinical outcomes that compare with the best institutions in the world at an affordable cost. Our unwavering commitment to patients has been the reason behind the group's success," Nawaloka Hospitals, Chairman, Dr. Jayantha Dharmadasa stated.

Founded by Deshamanya H. K. Dharmadasa in 1985, Nawaloka Hospitals was built around a simple but powerful ethos: 'Arogya Parama Laabha' (Good health is supreme wealth). Deshamanya Dharmadasa was determined to create a legacy that would share such supreme wealth with as many Sri Lankans as possible for generations to come.

Established as the first fully-fledged private healthcare provider in Sri Lanka to offer tertiary healthcare solutions, Nawaloka Hospitals was founded at a time when the healthcare space in the country was dominated by the state service. The hospital offered an affordable alternative to those who had previously been left to seek specialised treatment outside the country, and eventually expand this offering to all Sri Lankans.

Under the visionary leadership of the group's Chairman, Dr Jayantha Dharmadasa, Nawaloka sought to differentiate by emulating the success of reputed hospitals in the Asian region; offering a strategic combination of advanced medical technology and expert medical care. Since then, the group has consistently set the benchmark for excellence in healthcare both in Sri Lanka and across the South Asian region.

It has proudly pioneered the introduction of several advanced technology developments in the country, elevating the quality and accuracy of diagnostics. These include state-of-the-art CT, MRI scanners, a mammography unit, and two cardiac catheterisation labs, all of which were firsts in Sri Lanka; the first coronary artery bypass unit in a private hospital; Fibroscan, the first non-invasive way of checking liver health in Sri Lanka; and a prominent highlight would be the introduction South Asia’s first 640 slice CT scanner.

"Our unparalleled clinical excellence, world class medical expertise, and empathetic approach to managing the needs of patients has enabled Nawaloka Hospitals to attain a standard of healthcare that is now on par with international standards. The journey this far has been both challenging and rewarding and moving forward we remain firmly committed to building on this remarkable legacy. As we look back these past 37 years, we are grateful to all who have believed in us and made us one of Asia’s most trusted hospitals," Dr. Dharmadasa concluded.

Staying true to its initial vision of sharing the gift of good health with all Sri Lankans, Nawaloka Hospitals has since expanded beyond the confines of its primary hospital in the center of Colombo, having since established state-of-the-art healthcare facilities in Negombo in 2014 and a fully-equipped Medicare Center in Gampaha in 2017.

Today, Nawaloka Hospitals employs a team of over 500 expert consultants of unparalleled proficiency from the full spectrum of clinical disciplines. They are joined by an indomitable, qualified panel of the finest nurses in the country; trained at Nawaloka's own fully-fledged Nurse Training School.

Over the recent past, with the hospital’s continuous expansion, and rising demand for its services, Nawaloka established a Specialist Centre with a mega multi-storey car park, a supermarket, an entire spectrum of laboratory and diagnostic services, multiple pharmacies, a bank, a cafeteria and ample open spaces. Designed with modular channel areas for added privacy, the Specialist Centre provides an extensive array of services in numerous medical specialities.

Nawaloka Hospitals operates a wide network of laboratories all over the island, in Matara, Wennappuwa, Galle and Negombo, enabling access to the very best diagnostic and laboratory services in the country to a much larger population.

It also operates the well renowned Nawaloka Heart Centre, which has successfully completed over13,500 heart surgeries since its inception. Additionally, the hospital houses fully-equipped specialised centres for digestive health, chest and sleep, rheumatology and pain management, radiology, lasik surgery, physiotherapy, and skin care and cosmetics.  Nawaloka also offers a 24-hour OPD centre, an Elite Center for premium healthcare requirements, a state-of-the-art ETU facility, air and land medical evacuation services which include mobile ICUs, as well as a home nursing unit offering professional in-home care services. To support this extensive portfolio, the hospital houses 12 operating theatres.

Geared with the latest technology and affordable healthcare solutions of international standards driven by a passionate, professional team of only the best consultants and nurses, Nawaloka Hospitals is fully committed towards the principle vision of building a healthier, stronger Sri Lanka.

Chairman of Nawaloka Hospitals Group Deshamanya, Dr. Jayantha Dharmadasa opening refurbished Nawaloka Serene Center with Deputy Chairman of Nawaloka Hospitals Group Aneesha Dharmadasa, in the presence of Prof. Lal Chandrasena Director Medical of Nawaloka Hospitals

Chairman of Nawaloka Hospitals Group Deshamanya, Dr. Jayantha Dharmadasa recognizing a long-standing employee in Nawaloka Hospitals 

In an effort to mitigate the impact of the ongoing macro-economic crisis on patients’ access to healthcare, pioneering private healthcare provider Nawaloka Hospitals, recently announced the launch of a free shuttle service to transport OPD patients based in Colombo and its suburbs, to and from the hospital.

The initiative comes at a time when dire challenges in transportation and the rise of COVID cases in the country have often prevented patients from travelling to access the healthcare support they require. Further, Nawaloka Hospitals has also taken the initiative to provide ambulances free of charge to transport patients who require hospital admission for treatment, from all across the island.

“The ongoing economic crisis in the country is an issue that has had a grave impact on the healthcare sector, for both patients and healthcare workers. No one should have to compromise their health and safety because they are unable or are reluctant to travel to medical appointments. This is just one initiative under a larger plan we have put in place to ensure that patients will continue to get the treatments and care they need at the right time and in the best possible setting at Nawaloka Hospitals.

“As responsible private healthcare provider that has always put patients first, we took it upon ourselves to assist those facing this challenging situation and continue to improve the health of our community, in a number of ways – from online medical consultations to medicine and report delivery, among others. We will continue to do our part in reducing the burden of healthcare on our people as we move through this difficult period together,” remarked Nawaloka Hospitals Head of Marketing, Rasika Thilakaratne.

As a pioneer in the private healthcare sector, Nawaloka Hospitals has always been at the forefront of enabling patient access to high-quality, affordable healthcare for over three decades. At the beginning of this tough macro-economic climate in the country, the hospital launched numerous initiatives to ease the process of procuring healthcare for patients.

Patients can now consult highly experienced doctors specializing in a diverse portfolio of ailments, with just a video or audio call. They can select, book and pay for both their digital or physical appointments online. They can also get their prescriptions along with lab and diagnostic reports from MRI, CT, Ultrasound and Blood Investigations delivered right to their homes. For medicine delivery, customers can get their prescriptions vetted by Nawaloka for drug availability, their prices, and any available substitutes by uploading their prescriptions to a digital platform accessible by a QR code.

When it comes to admissions, patients no longer have to spend a long time at the entrance for triage and check-ins, they can fill out any necessary documentation on their way through Whatsapp and get admitted to the hospital in a minimal amount of time. Further, families or loved ones can conveniently book a stay in one of the hospital’s dedicated family rooms till their patient can be discharged, to overcome the transport and find accommodation at this time.