Accessible Health Facilities: Common issues and recommendations (Sri Lanka)

Authors Whybrow, S.
Published 6th September 2006

Health and hospital facilities are places regularly visited by sick and elderly
people, and people whose physical condition is often poor. A greater
proportion of people with difficulties in moving will be concentrated in such
places. They should, therefore, be places where additional attention is given
to making them easy and safe for people to get to, find their way, and move around
in.

Accessible design standards exist to make environments easier for all to move
around in—including the elderly, sick, disabled, and pregnant women who often
find it more difficult than others. Government regulations specify that all
new buildings should conform to such standards. By around 2013 it is
anticipated that all existing buildings will have to be upgraded to meet these
standards.