Health Minister sending big delegation for WHA
The Health Ministry is sending a large delegation of 16 to the World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva in a clear departure from previous years when just two officials and the Minister would attend.
The annual conference will take place this year from May 22-31. WHA is the decision-making body of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and focuses on a specific health agenda prepared by its executive board.
Sri Lanka’s delegation will be headed by Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne. He will be accompanied by his wife, Dr. Sujatha Senaratne, who is listed as the former Additional Secretary of Public Health Services and Private Secretary to the Minister. Also going are Dr. S D Subasinghe, listed as his adviser, and Dr. U.M. Gunasekara, listed as his Public Relations Officer.
Others in the party are Dr. P Sathiyalingam, Provincial Health Minister for the Northern Province; Anura Jayawickrama, Secretary to the Ministry of Health; Dr. J.M.W. Jayasundara Bandara, Director General of Health Services; Dr. S.C. Wickramasinghe, Acting Deputy Director General (Non Communicable Diseases) and Director of Health Information; and Dr. B.V.S.H. Beneragama, Deputy Director General (Medical Supplies) and Deputy Director General (Laboratory Services) and Chairman of Antimicrobial Resistance.
The delegation also includes Dr. H.S.R.P. de Silva, Acting Deputy Director General (Planning) and Director of Organisation Development; Dr. Palitha Abeykoon, Chairman of the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol; Dr. A.G. Ludowyke, Director of International Health; Dr. T .Saththiyamoorthy, Director of the Jaffna Teaching Hospital; Dr. A. Priyanee Senadheera, Director of the Mahamodara Hospital; Dr. P.W.C. Panapitiya, Director Medical Supplies Division; and Dr. K.W.M.N. Mapitigama, Consultant Community Physician at the Family Health Bureau.
“In the past, it was just the Minister and, at most, two officials who went for the WHA,” an authoritative source said. “Bear in mind that the WHO had a lot more programmes in Sri Lanka at the time.”