Following the Cabinet decision to place the Dr. Neville Fernando Teaching Hospital (NFTH) in Malabe under Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) management, Defence Secretary Sampath Thuyacontha conducted an official inspection of the hospital yesterday.
He was welcomed by Air Marshal Bandu Edirisinghe, Commander of the Air Force, upon arrival.
During the visit, a detailed discussion was held on the hospital’s current status, long-term vision, and key objectives for advancing medical facilities and services under SLAF oversight, as approved at the Cabinet meeting on 9 February 2026.
Air Vice Marshal (Dr.) Lalith Jayaweera, Director General of Health Services of the SLAF, provided a comprehensive briefing on ongoing initiatives, operational capabilities, and future expansion plans to meet emerging healthcare needs. Topics included infrastructure development, financial planning, and inter-agency coordination to ensure timely execution of the project.
The Defence Secretary highlighted the importance of collaboration to transform NFTH into a state-of-the-art medical facility, noting that it would significantly strengthen the national healthcare sector.
Senior SLAF officers and representatives from several key ministries were also present during the inspection.
