Jan 12, Colombo: Sri Lanka's national carrier SriLankan Airlines has provided support to the main Lady Ridgeway Children Hospital to establish the country' s first dedicated, multi-disciplinary Child Psychiatric Unit.

The pediatric hospital with the support from the Airlines will upgrade on of the wards in the hospital to a Child Psychiatric facility at a cost of Rs, 8 million.

The airline's SriLankan Cares Trust will provide the funds to complete the project in six months.

Sri Lanka Ministry of Health Lady Ridgeway Hospital and the SriLankan Airlines have recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the project.

Under the project, an old building will be refurbished and furnished to house the proposed unit.

"Due to low priority, mental health care has been a neglected aspect in Sri Lanka and this has been a compelling reason for SriLankan Cares to take up this initiative and to shed light on the issue," SriLankan Airlines has said in a statement.

SriLankan Cares will hand over a completely renovated ward, complete with necessary furniture to the management of the pediatric hospital and continue to monitor its usage and progress, the airline has said.