OUR TARGET: TO BE AMONG THE TEN BEST COUNTRIES IN HEALTHCARE

Health and Indigenous Medicine Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne said that Sri Lanka’s target was to be among the ten best countries in the world in healthcare delivery in the years to come.

Minister Senaratne addressing the media on the conclusion of ‘The 69th Sessions of the WHO Regional Committee for South East Asia’ said Sri Lanka’s efforts to improve free health service which many people enjoy was continued through the guidance and technical support from the WHO.

The 69th Sessions of the WHO Regional Committee for South East Asia was held in Colombo from September 5 to 9 and attended by 200 to 250 delegates from 15 countries including Health Ministers from 11 countries in the region.

Responding to a journalist at the news briefing, Minister Senaratne said the biggest health issue in the country right now was the fast spreading Non Communicable Diseases (NCD) swhich was a global phenomenon that amounts to 70% all hospital deaths.

“To tackle this most pressing health problem in the country, the Health Ministry has set up 842 ‘Life Centres’ islandwide enabling the public to have blood, urine, blood sugar and cholesterol checks and obtain a Body Mass Index (BMI) report free of charge. In addition, my ministry has also establish 906 ‘Well Women’ or ‘Suva - Nari Centres’ for women to have free checks for breast cancer, cervical cancer and any other services available at Life Centres,” Minister Senaratne stressed.

Through these health care programmes, the Health Ministry expects to reduce NCDS by one third by 2030. The Health Ministry also in the process of imposing a tax on sugar in the near future and a colour code system has already been introduced to determine the sugar level in soft drinks.

The minister profusely thanked the World Health Organization (WHO) s unstinted support over the years that helped identifying Sri Lanka as a role model to other countries in the spheres of prevention, control and management of diseases and on its national immunization programme.

WHO Regional Director of South – East Asia, Dr. Poonam Kethrapal Singh said the technical sessions of the five day forum mainly focused on the control of NCD and UN’S Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and added the ‘Colombo Declaration’ which was to be released after the final session had been extensively discussed.

“Sri Lanka is indeed a role model to other countries as you have successfully eradicated malaria, filaria, polio and neonatal tetanus. You are also on the verge of eliminating rabies, diphtheria and hoofing cough. Your national immunization programme is among the best in the world and your free healthcare programme is excellent,” Dr. Singh said.

Director General of Health Services, Dr. Palitha Mahipala also participated in the press briefing. PIC BY KUSHAN PATHIRAJA.