Nawaloka Hospitals opens ‘Nagai’ elderly care centre

Nawaloka Hospitals Chairman Deshamanya Jayantha Dharmadasa, Social Welfare Corporation General Welfare Facility Rengesou President Hiromitsu Takahashi and Japanese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Kenachi Suganuma cutting the ceremonial ribbon to declare open the Nagai luxury elderly care centre

By Zahara Zuhair
As a joint venture between Nawaloka Hospitals and Social Welfare Corporation Koushikai General Welfare Facility Rengesou, Japan, ‘Nagai’, a luxury elderly care centre, was opened recently at the hospital’s seventh floor.

With an investment of Rs.100 million, the set up of the unit includs nine rooms, which are categorized as VIP, standard and deluxe. 

“As far as nursing is concerned, that is from Nawaloka, but standards and the protocols, have aspired the Japanese models. So that is the unique thing about this venture,” said Nawaloka Holdings (Pvt.) Ltd Director Harshith Dharmadasa. 

Nagai is a leading company in Japan, providing elder care services having five elder homes in Osaka. Their aim is to provide facilities that go beyond medical care and domestic assistance and also to offer companionship to elders.
“Together with them we have brought the same model to Sri Lanka to provide elderly care for the citizens of our country. They will provide their management and the 
Japanese staff will also involve in training the local staff,” Dharmadasa said.
Talking about the future plans he said, “We are planning to bring patients from countries such as Japan and Singapore to attract overseas patients. There is a great 
need for this as the Japanese ambassador also said. With the success of this model, we expect to venture into a larger-scale operation with the same company to bring in foreign patients.”
The unit was opened targeting the elders who are unable to live by themselves and require different levels of medical or nursing supervision.
It was noted that the prices of the rooms would be Rs.450,000 upwards per month inclusive of food, medical care, etc. Further, it includes nursing staff, social activities, housekeeping, laundry, etc.
Guests can sign up, either short term, for a month 
or a year depending on their personal lifestyle plans, it was noted.
Nawaloka Guardian International (Pvt.) Ltd (Nagai) Director Taro Maekawa told Mirror Business that they would be involved in the management and technology transfer part in this venture. 
“The expertise and technology we have in Japan we like to use and facilitate in Sri Lanka. We want to replicate that expertise in Sri Lanka,” he said.