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Primary health care reforms will drive a major transformation- Minister

Published

6 months ago

2025/07/29

Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa in conversation with Public Health Nursing Officers after the conclusion of the event. (Pic courtesy the Health Ministry)

Aiming to deliver higher‑quality, more efficient primary health services nationwide, the Ministry of Health and Mass Media, on Saturday (26), briefed Public Health Nursing Officers (PHNOs) on the proposed Primary Care Community Centre (PCCC) project, which will cover the entire country. Health and Mass Media Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa chaired the session at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute auditorium.

The Ministry’s Primary Healthcare Unit organised the training session.

Under the programme, the Government will establish one PCCC for roughly 10,000 people. In the first phase, it plans to set up 2,000 centres across the island over the next three years. The Ministry plans to establish 100 centres within this year. Each centre will initially operate with an eight‑member staff.

Addressing the workshop, the Minister said the initiative is essential to lift the standards of the country’s health services. He noted that, to date, policymakers have focused largely on secondary and tertiary hospital development, and that politics once favoured building multi‑storey hospital blocks over strengthening primary care. He stressed that Sri Lanka must move beyond that approach and, over the next three years, implement this new programme.

The Minister added that politicians in the past sought to bring large hospitals to their constituencies and push those facilities up the grading ladder. He said the present Government will not upgrade hospitals to satisfy political demands; it will prioritise public needs and take decisions based on national requirements. He emphasised that qualitative and quantitative transformation must be citizen‑centred rather than institution‑centred.

He observed that, although the Ministry implemented various projects over the past eight years to improve primary care, those efforts fell short because they were run through institutions that served overly large populations, undermining impact. He said the new model will assign each centre to a defined population and that funding will come from the Treasury, international organisations and private donors. Sri Lanka requires about 2,000 primary care units, he said, and the Government will deliver them within three years, choosing locations that the public already frequents and finds accessible.

The Minister expressed confidence that the programme will become a major transformation and a strong foundation for the health system. He said its success will depend more on human resources than on physical assets and technology. Highlighting the ageing population, rising mental‑health needs and increasing suicides, he said health staff must manage these challenges proactively. He added that directing the public to seek primary treatment at these centres will reduce congestion at secondary and tertiary hospitals.

The Minister said the Government will prioritise PHNOs and provide facilities in stages. He pledged swift solutions to other service issues and, to address transport constraints, said the Ministry will provide motorcycles within the first three months of next year along with a transport allowance.

The centres will deliver a wide range of primary services, including: non‑communicable disease care; basic surgical care; elder care; rehabilitation; palliative care; primary eye care; oral health; mental‑health services; nutrition services; substance and alcohol rehabilitation; adolescent and youth health; selected laboratory tests; and community empowerment programmes.

More than 200 PHNOs attached to District Health Services Directorates attended the workshop. They briefed the Minister on challenges faced in field duties, human‑resource development, implementation of training programmes, shortcomings in promotion procedures, pay and allowances, the need to upgrade technical services, transport issues and improving job satisfaction.

Deputy Directors‑General Dr. Champika Wickramasinghe and Dr. Arjuna Tilakaratne, and Director (Primary Health) Dr. Sarathchandra Kumarawansa were also present.

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In order to safeguard the future of the country, a quality human resource must be developed. – Prime Minister

Published

48 mins ago

2026/02/1

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that in order to ensure the economic, social, and cultural security of the country, it is essential to develop a quality human resource, and that education plays a vital role in achieving this goal.

The Prime Minister emphasized that the government is committed to bring about a transformation in the education sector, and that the government will continue to move forward by overcoming obstacles encountered along the way, guided by a clear vision and purpose.

The Prime Minister made these remarks while addressing the EDCS Sisu Nena Pranama scholarship award ceremony held on Saturday (31) at Temple Trees, organized to recognize the children of the members of the Education Co-operative Society (EDCS) who have been selected to state universities for the academic year2023/2024.

Elaborating further, the Prime Minister noted that this program, organized by the Education Service Employees– Co-operative Thrift and Credit Society Ltd, is not merely about providing scholarships, but is an occasion that recognizes and appreciates the dedication of students and their parents who are preparing to shoulder the responsibility of the country’s future.

The Prime Minister also pointed out that it is a remarkable achievement that a society which began in 1930 with just 58 members and a membership fee of one rupee has today grown into the largest cooperative society in South Asia, with approximately 215,000 members.

The Prime Minister further highlighted how rapidly the world is changing, and the increasing necessity of developing human resources in the face of economic and environmental crises. She stressed that the education system must be transformed from the level of school education itself to align with the demands of the modern world, and that students entering universities should become leaders and active participants in this transformation.

Noting that out of nearly 300,000 students who enter primary education each year, only about 40,000 gain admission to universities, the Prime Minister urged students to make use of this opportunity for the development of the country.

Addressing the occasion, Deputy Minister of Labour and General Secretary of Ceylon Teachers Service Union, Mahinda Jayasinghe, stated that due to corruption-free management, it was possible to increase the financial stability of the society from Rs. 1,200 million to Rs. 1,700 million within a short period of approximately nine months.

Under this year’s program, scholarships amount to over Rs. 13.7 million were awarded to 2,292 students who have been selected to state universities.

This scholarship program, which initiated in 1984 with 15 students and an initial fund of Rs. 3,500, has been conducted continuously for 41 years. At present, scholarships of up to a maximum of Rs. 75,000 per student are awarded, demonstrating the collective strength and solidarity of the teaching community.

The event was attended by the Chairman of the Education Development Cooperative Society, Lal Kumara, the Western Province Director of Education, Darshani Iddamalgoda, along with other officials.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]

News

Police face 32,000-officer shortage:IGP

Published

5 hours ago

2026/02/1

Thilina Walpola

IGP Priyantha Weerasooriya says that the Police is facing a shortage of nearly 32,000 personnel and is currently operating well below its required strength.

He made these remarks while attending a ceremony held on Friday morning (30) to recognise the contribution of fingerprint officers, crime analysis officers and forensic photographers attached to the Criminal Investigation Department for their role in solving crimes.

Addressing the gathering, the IGP said that around 2,500 police officers are due to retire this year, with a further 2,700 officers expected to retire next year.

In view of the growing cadre shortfall, he said plans are underway to recruit 10,000 new officers to the Sri Lanka Police in the future.

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Lanka’s Sabina Yousaf wins Mrs. Photogenic, Second Runner-Up at Mrs. World

Published

5 hours ago

2026/02/1

Thilina Walpola

Sri Lanka earned international recognition at the 41st Mrs. World pageant, with Sabina Yousaf being named Second Runner-Up, marking a notable achievement for the country at the prestigious global competition.

In addition to securing a top-three finish, Yousaf also won the Mrs. Photogenic mini-title and placed among the Top 20 contestants, underscoring her strong performance on the international stage.

The Mrs. World 2025 crown was won by Chanita Seedaket Craythorne of Thailand, while Paige Ewing of the United States was declared First Runner-Up.

The grand finale was held on 29 January in Las Vegas, Nevada, and featured contestants from more than 60 countries competing for the coveted title.

The announcement of the Top Three finalists placed Sri Lanka alongside leading global pageant contenders, reinforcing the country’s growing presence in international pageantry.

Final Results – Mrs. World 2025:

Winner: Thailand – Chanita Seedaket Craythorne

First Runner-Up: United States – Paige Ewing

Second Runner-Up: Sri Lanka – Sabina Yousaf