Following the Japan-Sri Lanka summit meeting in Tokyo on Wednesday (March 14), Sri Lanka signed a Rs. 15 billion loan agreement with Japan to improve Sri Lanka’s health and medical services.
Japan’s Ambassador in Sri Lanka Kenichi Suganuma and Sri Lanka’s Ambassador in Tokyo Prof. Dammika Ganganath Dissanayake signed and exchanged notes concerning the provision of a yen loan up to 10.639 billion yen for the Health and Medical Service Improvement Project.
The agreement was signed in the presence of Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe and Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena.
The project is being financed to improve the medical facilities and equipment in tertiary healthcare institutions and training centers for medical staff, as well as strengthening the maintenance of medical equipment in the Western, Northwestern, Central, North Central, Eastern and Uva Provinces in Sri Lanka.
The project is expected to enhance medical services relating to the diagnosis and treatment of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), especially cardiovascular diseases. It is expected that improved access to medical care will contribute to improving the health conditions of residents.
The loan is at a low interest rate of 0.1% per annum (0.01% per annum for the consulting services to be paid within 40 years after a twelve-year grace period.
