Sri Lanka receives interest free loans from Austrian banks for development of health sector and university medical facilities
The Finance Ministry of Sri Lanka has reportedly stated that two Austrian banks have provided over Rs. 2.7 billion rupees worth interest free loans for health sector development and to improve university medical facilities.
The Ministry has stated that the Erste Bank of Austria has provided EUR 9.5 million (approximately SLR 1,810 million) interest free credit facility to enhance the access to quality and modern healthcare facilities in hospitals in the country.
According to reports, the government has now been able to provide Anaesthetic Machines, ICU Ventilators, Blood gas analyzers, Endoscopes, Operation Theatres and mobile lights for identified hospitals in Sri Lanka.
The Ministry has added that the objectives of the project are to reduce the Hospital acquired infections, ensure access to modern healthcare equipment so as to provide immediate care to the patients, whilst reducing the recurrent costs to the Government.
Accordingly, the people in the entire country will be benefited through this project by enhancing access to quality healthcare facilities.
Meanwhile, the UniCredit Bank of Austria has also agreed to provide EUR 4.9 million (approximately SLR 908 million) credit facilities with zero interest to improve university medical facilities.
Since Medical faculties of the Eastern University and the University of Rajarata and Allied Health Science Faculty of University of Peradeniya are recently established, it has become an urgent need to provide necessary facilities with required medical equipment and accessories to those faculties, local media reports state.
OSL take:
The interest free loans from the Austrian banks to develop Sri Lanka’s health sector and medical university facilities is an opportunity for foreign businesses engaged in the medical field to explore for investment/business opportunities given the funding availability for projects in the fields of health and medical education. Medical equipment suppliers could also look at opportunities to provide equipment and machinery required by Sri Lanka’s health and medical education sectors.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/30052018/Z_9 |