In a bid to offer Sri Lankans safe access to quality and affordable healthcare,
leading private healthcare provider Nawaloka Hospitals has further strengthened their in-
hospital safety protocol against the rapidly evolving COVID-19 pandemic.
Based on guidelines imposed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Ministry of Health
(MOH), Sri Lanka, the hospital has actioned numerous innovative and stringent measures to
ensure staff, patients, and visitors’ safety. Nawaloka’s well-researched and comprehensive safety
protocol also considers global research conducted on mitigating numerous risk factors and
sources of exposure or transmission.
“While the COVID-19′ pandemic continues to evolve in the country rapidly, it is important to
understand that our hospitals remain safe and open to care for our communities, especially for
whom continuity of care is critical due to implications caused by chronic illnesses. This situation
also calls upon every Sri Lankan to redouble efforts in fending off this pandemic. We encourage
everyone to help keep their communities safe and help limit the spread of the virus by
remaining vigilant in wearing masks, social distancing, and maintaining good hand hygiene.”
Nawaloka Hospitals Deputy Chairman Harshith Dharmadasa stated.
With the rapid spread of COVID-19 across most communities in the country, Nawaloka
Hospital’s COVID-19 preparedness plan is geared to prevent and control the spread of
infection and avoid situations of public panic in the event of detecting a suspected case. All
patients, caregivers, visitors and healthcare professionals who enter the Nawaloka hospitals or
Labs undergo a thorough triage at entry, with strict sanitisation, social distancing and non-
contact temperature checks in place.
The hospital premises are thoroughly disinfected every 12 hours, and strict social distancing
procedures are enforced at every juncture while all medical personnel are geared with masks
and personal protective equipment.
Nawaloka Hospitals has also innovated measures to care for patients while preventing the
spread of the disease. Innovative practices like drive-thru lab testing and channelling, home visit
PCR and lab tests solutions, home delivery of medication and telehealth consultations were
immediately launched to enable patients to continue their medical care without visiting the
hospital physically.
“The highly experienced and deeply committed team at Nawaloka Hospitals has worked hard
to implement a host of safety measures that are in line with the directives set by the Ministry of
Health and the World Health Organization. This is to ensure that all those who seek healthcare
during this time have unhindered, affordable and safe access to it, thereby bringing our world-
class system of health care to the masses.”, Dharmadasa continued to state.
The state-of-the-art Nawaloka Specialty Centre has proven to be an opportune investment
during this period of contagion. The massive 400,000 square feet centre with a mega multi-
storey car park boasts a strategic combination of advanced medical technology and expert
medical care. Each medical speciality is allocated a designated channel module within the centre,
offering patients privacy, adequate space to practice social distancing and screening from
infection by interacting with patients from other specialities.
Pharmacy and laboratory facilities located on each floor restrict mobility within the hospital,
limiting the possibility of cross-infection. The strategically designed building has proven to be
extremely beneficial and offered a competitive advantage during the COVID-19 pandemic,
guaranteeing patient safety in a secure environment.
Nawaloka’s extensive safety protocol also includes guidelines for the usage of facemasks, the
cleaning of the hospital, linen management, usage and disposal of Personal Protective Equipment
(PPE), and directives for home quarantine procedures. The hospital will continue to invest in
and evolve their healthcare practices to ensure a safe environment for all stakeholders in the
new normal.
About Nawaloka Hospitals
Nawaloka Hospitals entered the state-dominated healthcare sector in 1985 as the first private
hospital in Sri Lanka to offer tertiary healthcare services. Since then, under the visionary
leadership of Dr. Jayantha Dharmadasa, the hospital has garnered considerable local and
international recognition, pioneering numerous advanced clinical developments in the country.
In 2020, Nawaloka Hospitals achieved the prestigious Joint Commission International’s (JCI)
gold seal of approval for its continued compliance with internationally-recognized healthcare
standards.
Nawaloka offers a 24-hour OPD centre, a state-of-the-art ETU facility, air and land medical
evacuation services that include mobile ICUs and a home nursing unit offering professional in-
home care services. Equipped with the latest technology and affordable healthcare solutions of
international standards driven by a passionate and professional team of the best consultants and
nurses, Nawaloka Hospitals is fully committed towards the principal vision of building a
healthier and stronger Sri Lanka.