First-ever food and beverages department for patients launched

 

The Apeksha Hospital in Maharagama will open a Food and Beverages Department tomorrow (6), marking the first time such a facility is being introduced in a government hospital. The initiative, led by the Ministry of Health and Mass Media, aims to provide customised, nutritious meals to in-house patients under a pilot program.

The launch will be inaugurated by Minister of Health and Mass Media, Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, and is designed to enhance patient care by ensuring access to balanced and appetizing meals. Under the new system, patients will receive customised plates with separate portions of rice, vegetables, and proteins, replacing the traditional single-plate model.

A newly established modern kitchen, capable of preparing meals for up to 2,000 patients at a time, will also be inaugurated. This kitchen will operate under the newly formed Food and Beverages Department.

The program is being implemented under the guidance of the Apeksha Hospital Governing Authority, in collaboration with the Ministry, the Sri Lanka Medical Nutrition Association (SLMNA), and the Nutritionists’ Association. Support has also been provided by institutions including the Ruhunu Maha Kataragama Devalaya, Sri Lanka Army, Lady J, Hirdaramani Group, and Grand Monarch Hotel.

Speaking about the initiative, Dr. Sajitha Mallawarachchi, Clinical Nutrition Physician and project coordinator at Apeksha Hospital, said that providing nutritious and palatable meals is essential to minimise complications during treatment. He added that the main goal is to ensure meals are equal to or better than food brought from home, with sufficient quantity, taste, and nutritional value.

Dr. Mallawarachchi further stated that the Ministry of Health and Mass Media plans to expand the program to other government hospitals across the country in the future.