WHO Sri Lanka

17/03/2026

The WHO Representative to Sri Lanka, together with the WHO country team, met with Dr Samiddhi Samarakoon (Deputy Director General Medical Services II) and members of the Sri Lanka College of Emergency Physicians to discuss the implementation of Sri Lanka’s Accident and Emergency Care Policy (2016) through the newly established Directorate for Accident and Emergency Care.

During the discussion, the WHO Representative reaffirmed WHO’s commitment to supporting the Ministry of Health by providing technical assistance to establish and operationalize the Directorate, in line with global good practices and international standards for emergency care.

17/03/2026

Strengthening Health Humanities in Sri Lanka: A Collaborative Step Forward

Today, the Ministry of Health & Mass Media and the World Health Organization co convened a national consultation to advance the implementation of the Resolution on “Introducing Health Humanities to Health Professional Education and Training in WHO’s South-East Asia Region”. This Resolution, which was led by Sri Lanka, was adopted by the WHO’s South-East Asia Regional Committee convened in Colombo in 2025. It is the first Resolution of its kind to be proposed within the WHO system.

Today’s consultation brought together the Deans and senior academics of medical faculties across Sri Lanka, representatives of the University Grants Commission and officials from the Ministry of Health, reflecting a strong national commitment to integrating Health Humanities into health professional education and training.

The Medical Faculties provided an overview of current initiatives within their institutions focused on incorporating health humanities into the curriculum. Various teaching and learning strategies applicable to this integration were examined in detail.

The WHO South East Asia Regional Office also contributed to the discussions, emphasizing regional momentum and cross country collaboration to strengthen humanistic care across region.

Today's conversation represents a significant milestone in establishing a national plan to integrate Health Humanities into health professional education and training, while also emphasising Sri Lanka's potential to set an example for the region.
Together, we are working toward a more empathetic, ethical, and people centered health workforce for the future.

15/03/2026

Day 2 of the RGD to Digital Excellence Training, designed for senior officials of the Registrar General's Department, as part of the Joint Programme focused on a crucial mindset shift using interactive activities to inspire innovation, collaboration, and forward-thinking leadership for digital transformation.

The Project is a joint initiative of the Government of and the United Nations Sri Lanka SDG Fund 🇨🇦🇪🇺🇬🇧🇺🇳.

14/03/2026

Today, the WHO Representative to Sri Lanka visited the Provincial Ayurvedic Hospital, Pallekele, a vital institution delivering traditional medicine services to communities across the Central Province.

This 120 bedded hospital provides care to over 5,000 inpatients and 60,000 outpatients every year, supported by a dedicated team of 72 staff. The facility offers treatment for a wide range of conditions, including musculo skeletal disorders, stroke rehabilitation, diabetes, and subfertility.

WHO commends the commitment of the hospital team and the provincial health authorities in advancing accessible, people centered Ayurvedic services. We remain committed to supporting Sri Lanka in strengthening integrated, holistic health systems that respond to the needs of all communities.

14/03/2026

14/03/2026

Registrar General from the Registrar General’s Department, WHO Representative to Sri Lanka along with Resident Representative of UNDP Sri Lanka joined the inauguration of the RGD to Digital Excellence Training in Kandy today as part of the initiative, led by the Govt of & United Nations Sri Lanka, jointly implemented by UNDP Sri Lanka & WHO Sri Lanka under the United Nations Sri Lanka SDG Fund 🇨🇦🇪🇺🇬🇧

This training aims to strengthen leadership capacity at the Registrar General’s Department to advance the digital transformation of Sri Lanka’s Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) system

13/03/2026

WHO partnered with the Forum for Research Ethics Committees in Sri Lanka (FRECSL) in their Inaugural General Assembly held today.

FRECSL has played a vital role in connecting Research Ethics Committees nationwide and advancing a culture of ethical, high‑quality research. Their development of a WHO‑aligned national evaluation framework marks a major achievement in strengthening transparency, quality, and accountability within Sri Lanka’s research ecosystem.

Joining the workshop, the WHO Representative to Sri Lanka underscored WHO's commitment to supporting Sri Lanka in building efficient, and trusted mechanisms for research oversight ensuring that national research systems remain robust, credible, and participant‑centred. He also highlighted WHO's support to countries across the region in building digitally integrated research governance ecosystems that improve efficiency, accountability, and data-driven decision-making.

Together, we can build a research environment that supports innovation while upholding the highest ethical standards.

13/03/2026

Childhood cancers are treatable and many can be cured with timely diagnosis and access to quality treatment. Children with cancer can achieve high survival and cure rates.

WHO is pleased to partner with St. Jude Global, in supporting countries across the South‑East Asia Region, including Sri Lanka, to strengthen childhood cancer services. These efforts focus on improving access to essential cancer medicines, expanding advanced diagnostics, and strengthening technical collaboration through the global initiatives in partnership with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the World Health Organization.

Recently, St. Jude Global team visited Sri Lanka and held high‑level technical discussions with the WHO Representative to Sri Lanka, the Secretary of Health, the Director General of Health Services, and senior officials from the National Cancer Control Programme, Medical Supplies Division, and the National Cancer Institute. These discussions aimed to accelerate ongoing collaboration under the Global Platform for access to Childhood Cancer Medicines and Global Initiative to Childhood Cancers and advance coordinated action to improve outcomes for children with cancer in Sri Lanka.

Together, we are working to ensure that every child with cancer has access to timely diagnosis, effective treatment, and the chance to survive and thrive.

13/03/2026

Sri Lanka launched its first National Policy on Infection Prevention & Control (2026–2035) yesterday. Supported by WHO, the policy outlines an evidence‑based framework to prevent infections and protect patients and health workers in every healthcare setting.

The policy strengthens governance, clarifies institutional responsibilities, supports dedicated IPC teams, and promotes multimodal strategies—combining system improvements, training, monitoring, communication and a strong safety culture. It reinforces the importance of consistent IPC practices to ensure safe environments for care, reduce avoidable harm, and support resilient health services.

WHO will continue to support the government and all partners for effective implementation of the IPC policy.

12/03/2026

Today, the Ministry of Health and Mass Media officially launched:

➡️ National Strategic Plan on Healthcare Quality and Safety (2026–2030)
➡️ National Policy on Infection Prevention and Control (2026-2035)
➡️ National Action Plan on Medication Safety (2026–2030)
➡️ A video on the use of WHO Surgical Safety Checklist

Led by the Patient Safety & Accreditation Bureau and supported by WHO, the event is an important milestone in Sri Lanka’s journey towards a safer, more resilient, and more people centered health system.

12/03/2026

WHO Representative to Sri Lanka visited the Anti Malaria Campaign (AMC) and met with the Director and dedicated staff, recognizing the programme’s continued leadership in vector-borne disease control.

Following Sri Lanka’s successful malaria elimination, leishmaniasis control activities were formally entrusted to the Anti Malaria Campaign in 2022, when the Ministry of Health appointed AMC as the national focal point for leishmaniasis control. This transition reflects the need for an integrated national response to address the rising burden of cutaneous leishmaniasis in the country.

To strengthen the national response, the National Strategic Plan for Leishmaniasis (2024–2028) was developed with technical support from WHO. The plan focuses on strengthening surveillance, improving case detection and management, and enhancing vector control measures across the country.

During the visit, discussions highlighted the growing importance of addressing leishmaniasis in Sri Lanka. Key areas included strengthening surveillance and response systems, building capacity for entomologists, expanding collaboration with consultants and technical experts, and further strengthening vector surveillance and control strategies.

WHO reaffirms its commitment to supporting Sri Lanka in building stronger and more resilient health systems. Through collaboration, innovation, and partnership, we continue working towards Health for All and advancing Universal Health Coverage, ensuring that everyone has access to quality healthcare when and where it is needed.

11/03/2026