A major step forward for children with special needs took place on November 6 at the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children in Colombo. Minister of Health and Mass Media Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa formally laid the foundation stone for the new four-storey Sathpethi Interventional Centre for Autism and Neurodiversity.

The overall venture carries a total estimated price tag of Rs. 363 million, with Rs. 252 million assigned purely for construction. The centre is designed to provide multidisciplinary care, covering speech and language therapy, day-to-day life skills, socialization, family-focused support, and identifying developmental needs.

Hurry Up the Work

Speaking at the event, Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa called on officials to speed up the original 546-day timeline. He wants the building handed over to families by December next year.

He also stressed that sourcing medical tools and training expert staff must happen alongside the building work so care begins without delay. Beyond buildings, the minister urged society to shift its mindset and welcome autistic children as valued members of the community.

Rising Need for Special Care

Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Dr. Swarna Wijetunga highlighted that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake gave the initiative a massive boost by allocating Rs. 200 million in his maiden budget.

According to Dr. Wijetunga, World Health Organization figures show 1 in 100 children worldwide has autism, while a 2009 Sri Lankan study found 1 in 93, and US CDC data noted 1 in 36. She pointed out that more than 50 percent of young visitors to the hospital's child and adolescent mental health clinics suffer from neurodevelopmental conditions, making this centre an urgent need.

Key Partners

The project runs under the Ministry of Health and Mass Media. Engineering tasks are managed by the Central Engineering Consultancy Bureau (CECB), while Nawaloka Constructions is handling the actual building.

Health Ministry Secretary Dr. Anil Jasinghe and Lady Ridgeway Hospital Director Dr. Pradeep R. Vanniarachchi joined hospital staff and medical specialists at the groundbreaking.

What happens next

The facility is expected to be handed over to the public by December next year following expedited construction.