(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) –The World Bank has committed US$ 200 million to upgrade the standards of performance of Sri Lanka’s public health system under the Second Health Sector Development Project for Sri Lanka.
Minister of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine Dr. Rajitha Senaratne announced the World Bank’s support to the project at the closing ceremony of the Second Health Sector Development Project held Sunday in Colombo.
The development objective of the project is to enable it to better respond to the challenges of malnutrition and non-communicable diseases.
The World Bank is supporting the project with $200 million in financing from the International Development Association (IDA).
The project includes two components. The first component provides support to priority areas under the National Health Development Plan. This component covers multiple areas: addressing maternal and child health and nutrition; improving the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases; health systems improvement. The second component of the project focuses on innovation, results monitoring and capacity-building.
This program includes 35 new projects in the health sector including, prevention of non-communicable diseases, infrastructure development, providing accidents services at an international standard level.
Minister Rajitha Senaratne said raising the standards and the overall quality of health service is a key priority of the government.
Director of the Project, Dr. Mrs. S. C. Wickremesinghe said that due to diligently reaching targets with the tremendous efforts of the health sector, it was able to receive the World Bank financial support of US $ 200 million.
Director General of Health Services Dr. Anil Jasinghe, World Bank Representatives and Health Ministry Officials were present on this occasion.
