News

Primary health care reforms will drive a major transformation- Minister

Published

9 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.

All News Advertisement

News

PM on inspection tour of newly renovated Colombo Central Bus Stand

Published

2 hours ago

2026/04/10

Priyan

The Colombo Central Bus Stand, which has a history of over six decades and had remained without a proper maintenance for many years, has now been renovated under the current government’s development programme and vested to the public. Following that, the Prime Minister undertook an inspection tour of the newly renovated Colombo Central Bus Stand.

Originally constructed in 1964, the bus stand was refurbished with modern facilities to meet current needs and was officially reopened to the public on April 8. The primary objective of this initiative is to provide passengers with a higher-quality and more comfortable transportation service.

During the renovation process, special attention has been given to the comfort and safety of women, which was commended by the Prime Minister. In particular, a modern rest area designed to ensure privacy for nursing mothers travelling from distant areas received special praise.

The Prime Minister also reviewed the newly introduced passenger seat reservation system and information services established to assist commuters. In addition, the modern surveillance unit and other security measures installed within the premises to ensure passenger safety were also inspected.

During the visit, the Prime Minister engaged in conversations with passengers at the bus stand and inquired about their views on the newly renovated facilities and the quality of transport services.

It was emphasized that the government’s objective is to transform public transportation into a safe, technologically advanced service that can be used with convenience by all citizens.

(Prime Minister’s Media Division)

Latest News

Sun directly overhead Nagawilluwa, Galgamuwa, Sigiriya, Palugasdamana and Mankerni about 12:11 noon today (10)

Published

2 hours ago

2026/04/10

Priyan

On the apparent northward relative motion of the sun, it is going to be directly over the latitudes of Sri Lanka from the 05th to 15th of April in this year.

The nearest areas of Sri Lanka over which the sun is overhead today (10th) are Nagawilluwa, Galgamuwa, Sigiriya, Palugasdamana and Mankerni about 12:11 noon.

News

Opposition tells Minister Kumara Jayakody to resign

Published

4 hours ago

2026/04/10

Thilina Walpola

Prof. Peiris

No-faith motion to be taken up today

Former Foreign Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris yesterday (9) said that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake should remove Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody unless the minister stepped down on his own.Prof. Peiris, addressing a press conference called by the Opposition, said that Jayakody couldn’t under any circumstance continue to serve as a minister after the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) moved the Colombo High Court against the government member over a previous financial scandal.

Pointing out that Minister Jayakody had been indicted of a corrupt deal struck during the yahapalana regime, Prof. Peiris said it was wrong for the NPP to retain him as a minister, claiming that the offence was not committed during his tenure as a Cabinet minister in the current government.

Prof. Peiris and several other Opposition members dealt with the No-Confidence Motion (NCM) against Jayakody that would be taken up today (10) with the academic calling the vote an acid test for the NPP. Having campaigned on an anti-corruption platform at presidential and parliamentary polls, the NPP couldn’t protect Jayakody though he was widely believed to be close to President Dissanayake.

As the Manager of the Procurement and Import Division of the Ceylon Fertilizer Company, Jayakody is alleged to have committed the offence of corruption, according to CIABOC.

Jayakody has been accused of causing a loss of Rs. 8,859,708 to the State by influencing and exploiting the procurement process.

Following the serving of indictments on 27 March, the judge ordered Jayakody’s release on two personal bail bonds of Rs. 1 million each. The court directed that the defendant’s fingerprints be obtained and a formal report be submitted. The case has been scheduled for a pre-trial conference on 6 May.

Prof. Peiris stressed that the CIABOC action against Jayakody is central to the NCM primarily moved over the irregularities ridden coal procurement process launched in 2025 that caused severe disruption to the power generation. Responding to The Island query after the media briefing, Prof Peiris expressed surprise that the JVP/NPP accommodated a person under investigation by the CIABOC. Having taken an utterly irresponsible decision, the JVP/NPP were now playing down the developing issue, prof. Peiris said.

The entire government parliamentary group faced the prospect of having its image tarnished by defending Jayakody, the former lawmaker said.

Prof. Peiris said that they intended to build a campaign around the issues involving the energy minister to expose the government. With yet another electricity tariff hike in the offing due to the growing demand for thermal generation as a result of coal-fired Lakvijaya power plant’s failure to meet the requirement[RA1] , the energy minister and ministry’s performances have to be examined, Prof. Peiris said.The timely release of the Auditor General’s report on controversial coal procurement should compel the government to decide on the energy minister’s fate or be prepared to face the fallout.

By Shamindra Ferdinando