The Health and Mass Media Ministry plans to roll out a new initiative aimed at serving high-quality, nutritious, and appetising meals to inpatients at Government hospitals. The project, which will begin as a pilot at the Maharagama Apeksha Hospital, was the focus of a recent meeting chaired by Health and Mass Media Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa.

Senior ministry officials, hospital administrators, doctors from the Sri Lanka College of Nutrition Physicians and nutritionists attended the discussion, which explored both the challenges and opportunities in revamping hospital meals.

Minister Jayatissa noted that the Government allocates a significant budget each year for hospital food services but questioned whether the current system delivers real value to patients.

He pointed out that patient satisfaction with hospital meals has hitherto not been assessed, highlighting the need for a complete overhaul of both the content and the delivery of food in State-run facilities.

The pilot project at Maharagama Apeksha Hospital will introduce a new approach where each patient receives a customised plate, with rice, vegetables and proteins served separately, rather than the traditional single-plate method. Doctors told the Minister that such visually appealing and thoughtfully arranged meals can help lift patients’ spirits and encourage better nutrition.

Although the hospital has a modern kitchen capable of preparing meals for up to 2,000, officials acknowledged there was a shortage of staff. The meeting also stressed the need to provide specialised training for kitchen staff in modern food preparation and service techniques. There was a proposal to rename the hospital kitchen as the “Food and Beverages Department” to reflect the upgraded standards.

If successful, the initiative is expected to be extended to all Government hospitals across the country. However, participants emphasised the need to upgrade kitchen facilities, including replacing gas stoves with steam-powered equipment and introducing new technology to ensure food quality and safety.

Concerns were also raised about the procurement process for raw ingredients. Officials noted that contracts are often awarded to the lowest bidder, sometimes compromising the quality of supplies, especially spices. Both doctors and administrators stressed the importance of maintaining high standards for all ingredients used in hospital kitchens.

Minister Jayatissa pledged swift action to address these issues and said the Ministry is committed to the successful implementation of the project.

Among those present at the meeting were Additional Secretaries Sunil Galagama and Salinda Bandara, Health Services Director General Dr. Asela Gunawardena, Maharagama Apeksha Hospital Director Dr.Aruna Jayasekara, Sri Lanka College of Nutrition Physicians President Dr. Thimathi Wickramasekara and several senior doctors and nutritionists.