COLOMBO, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka will digitize the services in 21 cooperative-owned hospitals as part of a broader plan to modernize the country's healthcare system, according to a statement issued by the Department of Government Information on Saturday.

The statement said the main objective was to improve efficiency in patient care and streamline information management.

The statement said the government has allocated around 30 billion rupees (about 100 million U.S. dollars) for a broad digitization drive in 2026, while the Health Ministry's national digital health plan aims to bring all health institutions under a common digital framework.

Sri Lanka currently has 21 operational cooperative hospitals, including seven women-focused hospitals, according to the statement. The remaining 14 provide general patient care and offer a range of services, including 24-hour specialist consultations, modern laboratory and X-ray facilities, ambulance services, maternity care, pharmaceutical purchases and surgeries, the statement added. ■