• To commence with medical staff deployment for an ETU at Sigiriya, resources’ procurement process begun  

The Ministry of Tourism stated that discussions with the Ministry of Health have already taken place regarding the deployment of medical staff for an emergency treatment unit (ETU) in Sigiriya, while plans are also underway to establish first aid units at around 25 key tourist destinations.

There have been several incidents of both local and foreign tourists falling ill in Sigiriya, including cases where some visitors have lost their lives.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, the Deputy Minister of Tourism Prof. Ruwan Ranasinghe said that a decision had been made to establish an ETU in Sigiriya, and that related discussions with the Health Ministry had already taken place. "There is a need for an ETU there. We can allocate the necessary funds, but the challenge is sourcing the medical staff. We have made a request to the Health Ministry regarding this."

Additionally, he said that plans are in place to set up 25 first aid units at key tourist destinations across the country. "There are many tourist sites in Sri Lanka, and we have decided to first establish first aid units at the most important ones. The procurement process to acquire the necessary resources has already begun, and these units will be set up soon."

The Ceylon Spirit Tourism Association’s Secretary N.P. Wijesinghe had claimed last week that over the past two to three years, six people – including both tourists and tour guides – have lost their lives at Sigiriya due to the absence of adequate first aid services. He pointed out that despite the high ticket price of Rs. 11,000 for Sigiriya, basic first aid facilities are still not available.

Sri Lanka has placed special emphasis on developing and promoting the tourism industry, as it is one of the country's key sources of foreign exchange revenue, especially at a time when the nation is recovering from an economic crisis.