Project BEAP’s Model for Public–Private Partnerships in Health

On 21 April 2019, Sri Lanka faced one of its darkest days when coordinated bombings killed more than 250 people. In Batticaloa, the Teaching Hospital admitted more than one hundred injured patients within hours. The survival rate was higher than expected because the hospital had a new accident and emergency complex. Completed just the previous year through Project BEAP, it offered facilities and equipment that had never before been available in the region.

Construction underway at Batticaloa Teaching Hospital, part of Project BEAP’s commitment to building Sri Lanka’s first modern trauma unit outside Colombo.

Building capacity beyond Colombo

Project BEAP was founded in 2011 to address a long-standing gap in emergency medicine outside the capital. Through a partnership with the Ministry of Health, and with financial contributions from diaspora networks and private donors, the foundation raised more than three million US dollars to construct an 85-bed trauma unit with three operating theatres.



The project also financed a multi-slice CT scanner, supported nursing training and secured a Green Building Gold Award for sustainable hospital design. It has become a model for how public–private collaboration can deliver infrastructure that is both technically advanced and socially impactful.

Foundation leaders inspecting progress at Batticaloa Teaching Hospital during the construction phase.

Leadership and governance

At the centre of the initiative is Nihal de Run, the project’s chief executive, who emphasises that BEAP was never only about construction. “The facility mattered, but capacity building mattered more,” he says. “Emergency medicine requires trained staff, constant maintenance and the ability to respond to crises we cannot foresee.”



Alongside him is Arj Samarakoon, an investor who has played the role of donor and volunteer. He argues that credibility comes when philanthropy is paired with active involvement. “I did not want to be a distant donor,” he says. “Philanthropy works best when you are part of the effort and when communities know you are present.”

Project BEAP leadership meeting in 2024, attended by Arj Samarakoon, M. Rajaram and Niro Cooke, to discuss the foundation’s future strategy and fundraising priorities.

Trustees and supporters review BEAP’s impact and discuss future priorities, including rehabilitation facilities and staff training.

Public engagement and advocacy

The foundation has also built strong ties with the Sri Lankan diaspora. Fundraising events in Australia and beyond have mobilised financial and political support.

Project BEAP’s advocacy has engaged diaspora communities and donors across Australia and beyond.

Sustainability as the next frontier

The challenge facing Project BEAP is no longer proof of concept but long-term sustainability. Medical equipment demands regular upgrades, rehabilitation facilities must be expanded, and staff training requires continuity. The foundation is currently funding the installation of a lift in the rehabilitation ward to improve access for patients with mobility limitations, a relatively modest investment with significant impact.



For both de Run and Samarakoon, sustainability is central to the project’s next phase. “BEAP proved itself during the Easter attacks,” de Run notes. “The task now is to ensure that this standard of care can be maintained and extended.”

For more information on Project BEAP and opportunities to support its future initiatives, visit Project BEAP Now.