Free health care, a state responsibility in SL

Nadira Gunatilleke

The first ever state primary health care institution in Sri Lanka was set up in 1926.Today, there is a state health care institution by each three square kilometre stretch in Sri Lanka, Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena said. “This has been the case since the times of the ancient Sinhala kings, where it is believed that offering a free and quality health care system to the public is a responsibility of the state,” the Minister said.

Addressing the Harvard Ministerial Health Leaders’ Forum in Massachusetts, US, Minister Sirisena said Sri Lanka introduced its first vaccine to the public in 1886 and at the moment the coverage of the National Immunization Programme is 100 per cent. Sri Lanka has already eliminated diseases, such as, polio, diphtheria, whooping cough and tetanus.

The life expectancy of the Sri Lankan people has increased up to 78 (women) and 71 (men). Minister Sirisena pointed out that Sri Lanka has been able to achieve significantly low maternal and infant mortality rates because of the had work of midwives. Sri Lanka has already made arrangements to face the challenge of preventing Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs). Around 60 per cent of deaths that occur in state hospitals are due to NCDs. Sri Lanka named 2013 as the Year of Preventing NCDs.