Sri Lanka Takes a Historic Step in Patient Care as Its First Hospital Food Department Launches at Apeksha

Sri Lanka’s First Hospital Food Department initiative puts nutrition, dignity, and healing at the heart of patient care

In a significant move to improve patient care, Apeksha Hospital in Maharagama is all-set to open the first-ever food and beverage department in Sri Lanka that is primarily focused on patients. The project, which will launch on January 6, is a subtle but significant shift in the way public hospitals see recovery, beginning with the food that is placed on a patient's plate.

The department was established as a trial initiative by the Ministry of Health and Mass Media with the goal of making sure that patients are fed meals that are not only satisfying but also nourishing, well-balanced, and gratifying. Patients will now be provided customized plates with different quantities of rice, veggies, and protein, replacing the long-familiar single-plate hospital meal. This will make meals more palatable, easier to eat, and better tailored to each patient's specific medical needs.

A brand-new, state-of-the-art kitchen that can serve up to 2,000 patients at once supports this endeavor. With every meal produced, the facility strives to provide consistent quality, attention, and safety while operating under stringent nutrition and sanitary requirements.

The Ministry of Health and Mass Media, the Sri Lanka Medical Nutrition Association, the Nutritionists' Association, and the Apeksha Hospital Governing Authority have all collaborated to design the program. The program has been made possible by additional support from a number of public and private institutions and healthcare facilities demonstrating a common dedication to patient wellbeing.

The program's fundamental tenet is that eating healthily promotes healing. The program seeks to lower treatment-related problems, increase strength, and raise morale by providing meals that are on par with or even better than food provided from home. Plans are currently in motion to expand this model to additional government hospitals, which is a significant step in the direction of a more patient-centered and compassionate public healthcare system in Sri Lanka.