Hypertension is a major cardiovascular risk factor for many serious and life threatening diseases like stroke, coronary heart diseases, peripheral vascular disease, heart failure, and chronic kidney disease. It is a neglected non communicable disease in Sri Lanka and it is important to enhance awareness in Hypertension.

Researches done in the field of hypertension in Sri Lanka are sparse. Therefore, clinicians have to rely mainly on references done in other parts of the world especially of western populations. Issues related to hypertension in our country could better be able to study by establishing a research centre for hypertension.

To achieve the above objective a working committee comprised of both academic staff of the faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya as well as health professionals of Ministry of health, Sri Lanka has been formed.

With this background a proposal to establish a Hypertension research centre of the University of Peradeniya (HRCPe) at the faculty of medicine was submitted to the senate of the University by the working committee. The Senate of the University approved the proposal to establish a HRPCe of the University of Peradeniya in 2020.

To mark the world hypertension day which falls on 17th May, the Hypertension research centre of the University of Peradeniya (HRCPe) was launched on the 17th May 2019.