Minister of Health Keheliya Rambukwella has assured the Ministry’s full support towards the efforts made regarding pandemic prevention preparedness, at a regional level.

Rambukwella made these remarks during a conference hosted by the World Bank, together with the Government of Sri Lanka, themed ‘Improving Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response through One Health Approach’.

Accordingly, the Minister said, “Under my leadership, my team will assure their full support for the activities under the regional pandemic prevention preparedness programme to uplift the wellbeing of the population of the region and beyond”.

Moreover, the Minister further emphasised that the pandemic prevention preparedness programme is of key importance to the Ministry, as South Asia remains a ‘hotspot’ for emerging, and re-emerging, infectious diseases.

“Preparation through education is less costly than learning through tragedy”, he said in this regard.

Meanwhile, also present at the conference was Chief of Presidential Staff and Senior Advisor on National Security to the President Sagala Ratnyake, who, in a similar manner,  urged that Sri Lanka needs to be prepared for the likelihood of another pandemic.

“We have to be prepared for it, for prevention and to respond”, he said, adding that “the possibility for the next pandemic on a similar scale could be anything between 22% and 28%”. 

Deeming a regional response for improving pandemic prevention preparedness ‘indispensible’, the Presidential Chief of Staff also noted that Sri Lanka needs to ‘start thinking of an equitable health service’.

Speaking further in this regard, Ratnayake opined that government funding is no longer the way forward in terms of Sri Lanka’s healthcare system, suggesting that Sri Lanka adopt more Western cultures such as health insurance services.

The conference was hosted in Colombo this afternoon (26 July), with the objective of reviewing and updating the recent developments on the global health security agenda.

Delegates from the Bay-of-Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) nations were also present at the event.

Accordingly, the conference will focus on introducing decisions on regional mechanisms in this regard need to be established or strengthened, and will also include brainstorming sessions on the roadmap ahead in terms of improving pandemic prevention preparedness, at a regional level, through the One Health approach, within the South Asian region.