Post-conflict North:

Rebuilding primary healthcare

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry organized a two-day workshop, funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), to improve primary healthcare services in northern Sri Lanka.

At the workshop

The event which brought together over 40 health professionals in Anuradhapura, was entitled, "Primary healthcare model for the North."

Participants included health sector professionals from both national and provincial levels, together with representatives from the Health Ministry the World Health Organization (WHO) and IOM.

The workshop looked at ways of managing a wide spectrum of issues, including the primary health needs of thousands of displaced people returning to their places of origin, the challenges facing health workers in areas of return, and planning primary level healthcare for returnees.

"The need of the day is to put in a revitalized health system for the North that can address the many challenges and be sensitive to the local needs.

Some of the changes that are currently expressed in ushering in a new primary healthcare model can be adapted to these local settings," said Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry Director Policy and Development Dr. Susie Perera.

Participants also examined the challenge of rebuilding health infrastructure in the North, training for primary healthcare staff, introduction of health records for adults and the provision of equipment and basic lab tests needed at primary level curative institutions.

Since the end of the conflict between the Government and the LTTE in May 2009, IOM Sri Lanka, with the Health Ministry has provided emergency healthcare services to more than 200,000 displaced people in Northern Sri Lanka.