Govt., ADB sign $ 106.9 m deal to boost health system

Saturday, 18 October 2025 00:02 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Treasury Secretary Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma (right) and ADB Country Director Takafumi Kadono

Sri Lanka and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) yesterday signed agreements for a $ 106.9 million financing package to support the Strengthening Integrated Health Care and Governance for Universal Health Coverage Program.

The funding includes a $ 100 million loan under ADB’s Regular Ordinary Capital Resources and an additional $ 6.9 million grant from the Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response Trust Fund. The program will be implemented under a results-based lending model.

According to the Ministry of Finance, the initiative aims to improve the efficiency and quality of secondary health services as the first level of referral care, ensuring progress toward universal health coverage.

It will focus on three core areas – enhancing first referral care services, improving pandemic prevention and preparedness, and strengthening technical capacity and pharmaceutical supply chain management.

The Ministry of Health and Mass Media will serve as the main executing and implementing agency, while all nine Provincial Departments of Health Services will participate as implementing agencies.

The agreements were signed by Treasury Secretary Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma, on behalf of the Government of Sri Lanka, and ADB Country Director Takafumi Kadono.

The ADB said the program aligns with Sri Lanka’s national strategic framework for health sector reform and aims to build resilience in the country’s health system through improved governance and service delivery.