Business
RN Health: Latest premium health centre offering world-class health and wellness solutions launched in Colombo

Announcing its entry to Sri Lanka’s competitive healthcare space, premium health and wellness centre RN Health recently opened its doors to the public. Located in the affluent, urban neighbourhood of Barnes Place, Colombo 07, the state-of-the-art medical centre offers a broad scope of personalised diagnostic and wellness solutions to discerning clientele in a setting that places a high value on comfort, convenience and privacy.
Set on a spacious premises with modern, plush interiors, RN Health is well equipped to handle the rapidly evolving and demanding health needs of Sri Lankans, right from initial diagnosis, through to treatment and aftercare supportive services.
“We are delighted to open our doors to deliver a comprehensive portfolio of holistic health and wellness solutions to patients in Sri Lanka. We take great pride in our ability to operate a world-class integrated healthcare delivery system, enabled by a team of passionate, highly skilled consultants and nurses aided by advanced medical technology. During these unprecedented times, access to exceptional clinical care in a safe and private environment that prioritizes patient-centric delivery and affordability is critical and it is what sets RN Health apart from current market offerings.As we grow, we will continue to adjust and enhance our practices to better serve the fast evolving patient requirements as essentially, a one stop shop for high quality healthcare,” jointly stated by the Directors of RN HEALTH, Ravindu Thilakawardhana and Nessanka May.
The newly minted, fully certified medical center offers a broad scope of clinical and laboratory services along with access to pharmacy and wellness store of international standards. Patients are able to book lab and diagnostic services, which operate in affiliation with the long-standing and trusted Lanka Hospitals.
Further strengthening and enhancing their service offering, RN Health has also partnered with leading private healthcare provider Kings Hospital, Colombo to offer patients a holistic healthcare experience. This includes a 24-hour ambulance service to facilitate emergency transfers from either the patient’s home or from RN Health as well as a patient referral system that prioritizes patients from RN Health who require specialized or emergency treatments.
RN Health also houses three major state-of-the-art clinics dedicated towards diabetics, family health and specialist care practices. Patients can benefit from quick access to a team of dedicated and highly skilled healthcare practitioners who prescribe accurate, hyper personalised treatment plans to suit each unique requirement. They can also conveniently pre-book their appointments to any of the centre’s services, saving a significant amount of time and worry.
Its in-house pharmacy and health and wellness store stocks a full range of pharmaceuticals, medical sundries and luxury wellness products, and is complemented by only the best customer care. Patients are able to get their medication or wellness products delivered to locations in Colombo 1 -14 within just 24 hours. They can also take advantage of a generous, tiered loyalty scheme that affords special discounts and personalised customer care based on purchase patterns.
RN Health practices a stringent and comprehensive COVID-19′ safety protocol in line with the recommendations of the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation, to ensure the wellbeing of patients, visitors and staff during this time.
Business
‘This must be your last IMF Programme; lapses cannot be repeated’

IMF First Deputy Managing Director tells Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka’s long and difficult journey from economic collapse to cautious recovery reached a critical milestone as President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, IMF First Deputy Managing Director, Dr. Gita Gopinath, and Central Bank Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe addressed the high-profile “Sri Lanka’s Road to Recovery: Debt and Governance” conference yesterday in Colombo.
The event, jointly organized by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL), the Ministry of Finance and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), underscored the urgency of sustaining reform momentum while opening a new chapter in the country’s 75-year partnership with the IMF.
With macroeconomic stability returning but fragility still looming, the message from all three leaders was clear: Sri Lanka cannot afford to backslide.
“This must be the last IMF programme for Sri Lanka, Dr. Gopinath stated firmly in her keynote speech. “We’ve had 16 before this—about half ended prematurely. Reform fatigue, policy reversals and lost discipline cannot be repeated. This time must be different.”
While the conference primarily focused on public financial management, debt sustainability, and governance, the implications for Sri Lanka’s business environment were unmistakable. According to Gopinath, structural reforms, transparent fiscal management and improved governance are not abstract policy ideals — they are the essential foundations for restoring investor confidence, revitalizing private enterprise and building a resilient economy.
“Comprehensive governance reform can raise GDP by over 7% and reduce debt-to-GDP by more than six percentage points over the next decade, Gopinath noted, citing IMF internal analysis. “These are not just theoretical benefits — they are real, measurable returns for the private sector, job creation, and inclusive growth.”
Dr. Weerasinghe echoed this sentiment, stating that the IMF-supported programme “has laid the groundwork for macroeconomic fundamentals essential for sustained growth. He emphasized that Sri Lanka’s financial institutions and monetary authorities are now better equipped to support private sector-led recovery, pointing to a stabilizing rupee, single-digit inflation and restored investor interest.
“With improved credit ratings and Sri Lankan bonds being re-included in global indices, capital markets are beginning to show signs of life, said Dr. Weerasinghe. “This creates a platform for increased foreign direct investment (FDI), trade expansion, and domestic entrepreneurial activity.”
President Dissanayake opened the conference with a stark reminder of the human cost of Sri Lanka’s economic collapse. He called for economic leadership that not only addresses balance sheets but also rights wrongs of the past.
“We lost three critical things — one in our economy, two in our country, and three in our people, he said. “We must recover what was lost. And we can only do that through trust, transparency and inclusive policies.”
Dissanayake acknowledged the sacrifices made by the public — especially the most vulnerable — and emphasized that public buy-in is essential to the success of reform. “The people of this country have already shown their willingness to endure hardship in service of recovery. It is now the responsibility of government and institutions to ensure that their sacrifices are not in vain.”
His words carried weight in a country where memories of fuel queues, food shortages and economic despair remain fresh. The President signaled his administration’s commitment to a social contract grounded in accountability and economic fairness.
Gopinath noted that:
USD 3 billion in external debt was forgiven.
USD 25 billion was restructured with longer maturities and lower interest rates.
External debt servicing was reduced by half over the next decade.
Debt-to-GDP ratios are expected to fall by 27 to 34 percentage points.
“Sri Lanka’s experience has helped us sharpen how we approach debt sustainability, creditor coordination and domestic financial sector resilience, said Gopinath. “It’s a case study in how complex, painful, but ultimately successful restructuring can be done.”
By Ifham Nizam
Business
Nestlé Golden Chefs’ Hat Competition 2025 recognizes Sri Lanka’s top culinary talent

Nestlé Professional Sri Lanka, in partnership with the Chefs Guild of Lanka, relaunched the Nestlé Golden Chefs’ Hat Competition this year – an island wide culinary competition focused on developing up-and-coming culinary talent in the hospitality industry.
Nestlé Professional also collaborated with the Sri Lanka Hospitality Graduates Association and Chefs Guild of Lanka to launch the Junior Nestlé Golden Chefs’ Hat Competition for the very first time – providing culinary students in the hospitality industry with a platform to showcase their talents and skills, while fostering the next generation of culinary experts.
The regional rounds, held across all nine provinces of the country, brought together 18 finalists from both the Professional category and the newly introduced Junior category, to compete in the Grand Finale at the Culinary Art Food Expo.
The winners of the Nestlé Golden Chefs’ Hat Competition 2025 were awarded at an event held on 15th June at Cinnamon Grand Colombo, with the participation of distinguished guests – Chief Guest, Her Excellency the Ambassador of Switzerland to Sri Lanka and Maldives, Dr. Siri Walt; Head of Nestlé Professional Strategic Business Unit, Nestlé S.A., Reinhold Jakobi; Regional Business Head – Nestlé Professional, Nestlé Asia, Oceania and Africa Region, Jeroen Pluijmers; Director – Nestlé Professional, Nestlé South Asia Region, . Saurabh Makhija; Chairman of the Chefs Guild of Lanka, Chef Gerard Mendis and President of the Sri Lanka Hospitality Graduates Association, Patrick Pereira.
Mr. Bernie Stefan, Managing Director of Nestlé Lanka commented “The hospitality industry plays a vital role in supporting the transition from stability to growth in the Sri Lankan economy. Nestlé Lanka is honoured to play a part in uplifting the industry through the Nestlé Golden Chefs’ Hat Competition. This initiative also embodies our Nestlé Needs YOUth initiative, which is dedicated towards empowering and upskilling the youth to excel in their field of expertise and contribute to the community”.
H.E. Dr. Siri Walt, Ambassador of Switzerland to Sri Lanka and Maldives mentioned “I congratulate Nestlé Professional, the Chefs Guild of Lanka and the Sri Lanka Hospitality Graduates Association on this wonderful initiative to promote culinary talent.
Business
Activ8 Asia balances AI with nature through GPT (Go Plant a Tree)

In celebration of World Environment Day 2025, Activ8 Asia, in collaboration with the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC), launched an inspiring green initiative titled Project GPT – Go Plant a Tree. The campaign was a city-wide call to action to counterbalance the environmental footprint of artificial intelligence through a simple, tangible act: planting trees.
The initiative saw teams planting a range of rare and biodiversity-rich flora across 11 prominent locations in Colombo, including Viharamahadevi Park, from SLT Head Office to Lake House, and near the BMICH. These spaces, chosen for their cultural, civic, and environmental significance, now serve as living reminders of the need to harmonize technology and nature. “Project GPT is our way of balancing innovation with responsibility — a gesture to give back to the planet as we move forward in the digital age. At Activ8 Asia, we use AI tools like ChatGPT daily as part of our creative workflow. But with every typed prompt, we know there’s an unseen cost — data centers that power AI models consume vast amounts of energy and water,” said a Managing Director, Wazeel Nizar from Activ8 Asia.
Project GPT was not just about planting trees — it became a platform to ignite critical conversations around digital sustainability. Through leaflet distribution, interactive signage, and a targeted social media campaign, the initiative engaged the public with compelling insights into the environmental toll of emerging technologies.
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