in 1979 the sri lankan and finnish governments entered into an agreement to renovate the general hospital, with 85% of the funding coming from finns. numerous projects were carried out as result of the agreement including the complete refurbishment of the accident, emergency, orthopaedic and trauma units, the establishment of the training unit and laundry, and the building of a new mortuary. the renal transplant unit was opened on 6 may 1987. a new accident ward was opened by president ranasinghe premadasa on 15 march 1991. the medical ward complex was opened by president chandrika kumaratunga on 1 february 1995. on 31 january 1996 the hospital had to treat 1,200 victims of the colombo central bank bombing. the neurotrauma unit, funded by the saudi arabian government, was opened by president mahinda rajapaksa on 31 march 2011. rajapaksa opened the third medical ward complex on 19 april 2013.