Friday Dec 12, 2025
Friday Dec 12, 2025
Friday, 12 December 2025 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Cabinet Spokesman and Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa
The Cabinet of Ministers on Wednesday approved the procurement of a wide range of vehicles and equipment to improve the country’s primary health care system.
The Government of Sri Lanka has signed a $ 150 million financial agreement with the International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank Group to implement a comprehensive project.
The project, which will run from 2024 to 2028, seeks to enhance prevention and management of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), elderly and palliative care, and strengthen community-level health services, while also building resilience against climate-related emergencies.
A key challenge identified in the project is the insufficient transport facilities available for field officers, including Public Health Midwives, public health inspectors, primary care nurses, and surveillance teams.
“To address this, the Cabinet approved the procurement of a wide range of vehicles and equipment to improve mobility, support house-based care, and enhance the efficiency of field testing and supervisory work. The measures will also ensure the safe and timely transport of clinical waste and medical supplies across districts,” Cabinet Spokesman and Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said at the post-Cabinet meeting media briefing yesterday.
The approved transport assets include 26 clinical waste transport lorries, 26 double cabs, five ten-seat vans, two 42-seat buses, and nearly 4,000 scooters and motorbikes for field officers, including Public Health Midwives, nurses, and inspectors. Additional provisions include 20 refrigerated trucks and eight forklifts for the Medical Supply Division, a crew cab for the Divisional Health Office in Puttalam, and a dedicated ambulance fleet for the Jaffna district.
He noted that these measures are critical to expanding community outreach, ensuring timely delivery of services, and strengthening the country’s health system to better respond to both ongoing public health needs and future emergencies.
“The World Bank-backed initiative is expected to have a transformative impact on primary health care access and efficiency across all districts in the country,” he added.
The proposal to this effect was submitted by Health Minister Dr. Jayatissa.
