Health related activities 2.3 % of GDP in 3Q 2017

Human health activities, residential care and social work activities sub sector accounted for 2.3 per cent of the country’s GDP as per 3rd quarter estimates for 2017, reflecting an increase of 10 per cent over 3Q in 2016, a recent report states.

Changes in Sri Lanka’s demography and epidemiology, that is, an ageing population and an increase in non-communicable diseases ( NCDs), requires the government to prioritise geriatric medical care and focus on NCDs, which requires lifetime expensive treatments, The Lanka Hospitals Corporation PLC annual report says. “This remains a constant challenge to the government as it has not been able to increase funding sufficiently to keep pace with new technology, costly medication and rising expectations of patients.”

Government hospitals had 76,829 beds as at end of December 2016 while the private sector had a further 6,330 beds in 255 private care facilities in the country. “Additionally, there were 110 regis- tered medical and channeling centres, 292 registered medical laboratories, 190 full time and part time medical clinics operating around the country by end July 2017 as the demand for healthcare service increased outside the Western Province,” this report said. NCDs make up 70 per cent of the disease burden in Sri Lanka as per the Demographic and Health Survey done in 2016. The results confirm the expectation of a higher prevalence of NCDs associated with the pace of life of urban inhabitants, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, high blood cholesterol, heart disease, wheezing and asthma, compared to the prevalence observed in the rural and estates sector residents.

The rising prevalence of NCDs as per the Sri Lanka Demographic and Health Survey 2016 points to opportunities for growth in both preventive and curative care as levels of awareness regarding the importance of prevention, early detection and treatment, the report added. (DEC)