The Government has decided to establish a medical faculty at the Uva Wellassa University.

Labour Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva stated this at a discussion held at the Ministry of Higher Education held under the patronage of the Minister of Education Prof. G.L.Peiris.

Minister de Silva said that he was happy about this decision, because this has been a long felt need, that a Medical Faculty be established at the Uva Wellassa University.

He said that all the infrastructure required for the expansion of the university has been completed. The Minister said that the fully equipped Badulla Hospital could be used for clinical training of the students.

He said that the Mahiyangana, Diyatalawa and Welimada hospitals which are in the vicinity can also be used for this purpose, if needed.

The Minister said that about 150 students from the Badulla and Monaragala districts are selected to study medicine every year and setting up of a Medical Faculty at Uva Wellassa will allow them to study their medical degree from their homes.

Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris said that a Medical Faculty will be established at the Uva Wellassa University. He said the Government has taken this decision as the expansion of medical education in the country was necessary to produce the required number of doctors in the country.