Nawaloka Hospitals launches SL’s first ‘Drive-thru & channeling Lab’ to enhance safety & convenience

• Enables patients to securely access their diagnostic requirements in six minutes!
• Offers in-vehicle PCR testing and channeling facilities
• Facilitates the collection of CT/MRI reports

Committing towards enhancing patient safety and comfort during the COVID-19 pandemic, Sri Lanka’s most innovative healthcare provider Nawaloka Hospitals, recently launched the country’s very first, state-of-the-art ‘drive-thru express lab’ in Colombo and Negombo. The latest addition to Nawaloka’s well-regarded chain of medical Laboratories, the express lab is fully-geared to ensure safety, security, accuracy and convenience in all its transactions. This first-of-its-kind laboratory was declared open by Nawaloka Hospitals PLC Chairman, Dr. Jayantha Dharmadasa and Deputy Chairman Harshith Dharmadasa. 

Apart from convenient, in-vehicle PCR tests, the Nawaloka Drive-thru Lab facilitates a broad spectrum of blood and urine investigations, enabling patients to dispatch the necessary testing samples in a record time of six minutes right from the safety and comfort of their vehicle. The reports of these investigations can be emailed to them, viewed on the NawalokaCare mobile app or collected from the drive-thru counter when they are ready. Patients are also able to get CT and MRI reports, make channeling appointments with the experienced team of over 600 consultants at Nawaloka Hospitals, and secure appointments for ultra-sound scans.

Available at both Nawaloka Hospitals Colombo and Negombo, patients just have to drive to the collection point and drop off their testing samples or make appointments with the help of trained medical staff in secure gear. By remaining in their own vehicles throughout, patients minimize contact with other people, reducing the risk of infection for everyone – patients, medical professionals, and the general public. Additionally, Nawaloka Hospitals has set up a network of PCR collection centers at Gamapaha Nawaloka Medicare, Kandy Suwasevana hospital and Nawaloka Lab Galle. The hospital also currently harbours plans to set up two new PCR collection centers in Ratnapura and Kurunegala.

“With the recent spike in the number of COVID-19 positive cases in Sri Lanka, safety has become a paramount concern of daily life. It has also increased the country’s need for immediate, accurate and convenient diagnostic solutions. Launching this new drive through, express lab for the first time in Sri Lanka, has allowed us to better serve the urgent needs of all our patients who have placed their invaluable trust in our services, in a more efficient manner that guarantees the safety of all stakeholders. While earlier it generally took patients over 30 minutes to sort out their requirements, we are happy to state that the express lab has been able to cut this time down to just six minutes” opined Nawaloka Hospitals Deputy Chairman Harshith Dharmadasa.

This pioneering initiative intends to ensure the safety of both patients and employees during this critical time in the country when the COVID-19 pandemic has forced individuals to adhere to mandatory social distancing guidelines to mitigate community spread. The lab’s COVID-19 safety protocol is founded upon recommended best practices deployed by both the Ministry of Health (MOH) epidemiology unit, and World Health Organization (WHO).

“As a leader in the private healthcare sector, the highly-skilled and dedicated team at Nawaloka Hospitals remains deeply invested in equipping patients with comprehensive and state-of-the-art diagnostic capabilities in the continuously evolving healthcare landscape, while also doing our best to support the nation’s ongoing battle against this global pandemic,” he continued to state.

Nawaloka’s chain of labs is founded upon the ethos of affordable, convenient healthcare accessible to patients from all socioeconomic backgrounds, asserting its motto ‘to be the hospital of tomorrow’. Its network of labs serves more than 10,000 doctors on a national scale and operates round the clock; 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to offer over 1,200 tests using the latest global advancements in medical technology. It has continuously performed over 2 million tests a year, with every test conforming to international quality benchmarks, at affordable prices for all Sri Lankans.

About Nawaloka Hospitals

Nawaloka Hospitals entered the state-dominated healthcare sector in 1985 as the first private hospital in Sri Lanka to offer tertiary healthcare services. Since then, under the visionary leadership of Dr. Jayantha Dharmadasa, the hospital has garnered considerable local and international recognition, pioneering numerous advanced clinical developments in the country. In 2020, Nawaloka Hospitals achieved the prestigious Joint Commission International’s (JCI) gold seal of approval for its continued compliance with internationally-recognized healthcare standards.

Equipped with the latest technology and affordable healthcare solutions of international standards driven by a passionate and professional team of the best consultants and nurses, Nawaloka Hospitals is fully committed towards the principal vision of building a healthier and stronger Sri Lanka.