The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the use of the Kalutara Teaching Hospital and the Children’s Hospital for Mothers and Children in Mount Lavinia to provide hospital-based clinical training for medical students at the University of Moratuwa.

This decision comes as the first batch of medical students, enrolled based on the 2019 G.C.E. Advanced Level results, prepares to begin their clinical training in July 2025. Previously, Dr Nevil Fernando Hospital was designated for clinical training. However, concerns over its suitability, including an insufficient number of patients, limited diversity of diseases, and a shortage of specialists, necessitated the shift to alternative facilities.

The Kalutara Teaching Hospital and the Children’s Hospital in Mount Lavinia have been selected to ensure the medical students receive high-quality clinical training. This move is expected to provide a more robust learning environment with better resources and patient exposure, meeting the standards required for their education.

In addition, the Cabinet approved the transfer of two plots of land in Kalutara, owned by the Sri Lanka Transport Board and the Road Development Authority, for the establishment of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Moratuwa.