Health Master Plan for innovative system

COLOMBO: The Ministry of Healthcare and Nutrition launched a Health Master Plan under the patronage of Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva and other officials of the Ministry.

The Health Master Plan for Sri Lanka is the synthesised output of two interactive activities, complementary to each other, initiated with the assistance of two development partners and enriched by the outcome of an extensive consultation process.

It provides the policy and strategic framework for the development of an innovative health system over the next decade, targeting 2016.

The Health Master Plan (HMP) aims to build on the successes and experiences of the past and addresses the challenges of today and tomorrow, based on recognition that Sri Lanka is facing a health transition.

These challenges include; changing demographic and disease patterns, limited resources, increased demand and expectations by the public, the need for equity and development of a management ethos that ensures good governance and value for money in delivering quality services.

The HMP is carefully designed to support Sri Lanka's overall economic and social goals.

It aims to facilitate easy access to health services, improved productivity and ensure that resources allocated to health result in a healthier population that is able to contribute to the economic and social well-being of the country.

This is achieved by responding to the people's needs and working in partnership to ensure access to comprehensive, high quality, equitable, cost-effective and sustainable health services.

The overarching aim of improving health status and reducing inequalities will be achieved by the five strategies.

To ensure the delivery of comprehensive health services, which reduces the disease, burden and promotes health, to empower communities towards more active participation in maintaining their health, to improve the management of human resources for health, improve health financing, resource allocation and utilisation; and to strengthen stewardship and management functions of the health system.

Health Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said at the launching ceremony of the Health Master Plan held at the Taj Samudra Hotel that the work on Health Master Plan began in year 2000.

We have taken a brave decision to implement the HMP and we will work to establish a good health service, both policy and administrative-wise. Our priority is public health and nutrition. But we cannot be satisfied with some areas of nutrition.

Therefore, under the HMP, we have taken some action to implement the islandwide nutrition programme under the Mahinda Chinthanaya.

Dr. S. Samarage, Deputy Director General of Planning, Ministry officials, Athula Kahandaliyange, Secretary and Dr. Nihal Jayathileke, Additional Secretary also participated.