President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday declared open the newly constructed neurosurgery unit of the National Hospital.

The 300-bed super-specialty tertiary-care facility is one of Asia's most advanced neurosurgical units constructed, with special focus on neurotrauma, neurology, and neurosurgery.

The unit is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities including a roof-top helipad on top of the 10-story building to provide air ambulance services. The building comprises eight operation theatres, six intensive care units each with 66 beds, one unit with 228 beds and one observation unit.

The new unit was built at a cost of Rs. 2.8 billion. The project was partially funded by the Saudi Fund for Development.

According to the Director of the Colombo National Hospital Dr. Hector Weerasinghe the Unit will be Asia's most sophisticated Neurosurgical Unit. A staff of 600 is expected to be employed at the facility.