New angiography machine for Karapitiya courtesy Zurich’s Heart Clinic Foundation launched

Heart Clinic Foundation, Zurich donation brings new angiography machine to Karapitiya, filling a manew angiography machine to Karapitiyajor void
Creating a significant milestxone in Sri Lanka’s medical history, a Philips Azurion 3M12 brand-new angiography machine was installed by the Heart Clinic Foundation, Zurich, Switzerland, at the Teaching Hospital, Karapitiya, today, making it the only hospital outside Colombo to have two Cath labs to treat cardiovascular disease patients.
This major upgrade will notably strengthen advanced cardiac care capacity in the southern region.
Minister of Health and Media Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said the machine cost around Rs. 200 million, with the Ministry paying Rs. 55 million as customs tax, while Karapitiya Hospital invested around Rs. 25 million to provide the necessary infrastructure for housing the unit.
He said people are increasingly reluctant to undergo open-heart surgery, resulting in a waiting period of nearly three years for patients needing these procedures.
The Minister also disclosed that although there are 15 angiography machines in government hospitals, only around eight are operational at any given time. “Hence, this donation will greatly help reduce the waiting list to about one year and will save many lives. Karapitiya will also be the only hospital outside Colombo with two Cath labs.”
He added that the Ministry hopes to acquire around 11 more machines next year.
The donors, Prof. Juerg Gruenenfelder, Prof. Christophe Wyss, and Prof. Patric Biaggi of the Heart Clinic Foundation, said they visited the hospital three years ago, and when the Director of Karapitiya hospital, Dr. Udesh Ranga requested support, they raised funds to purchase and send the machine to Sri Lanka.
Dr. Ranga said this had been one of the hospital’s key “wish list” requirements to improve services not only for the Southern Province but also for Sabaragamuwa and Uva Province patients. “This donation will double treatment capacity at Karapitiya,” he said.
He also thanked former Deputy Swiss Ambassador Rudolf Albert Gauhl and Hui Bandaranayake for their involvement in making the donation possible.
Dr. Siri Walt Ambassador of Switzerland, said that they will collaborate further between the Heart Clinic Foundation and the Ministry of Health Sri Lanka opening out to providing more technical assistance and even training local doctors in Switzerland.
Angiography systems are advanced X-ray devices that visualize blood vessels using injected contrast dye, enabling accurate diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases while helping patients avoid open-heart surgery.