Nalinda elected Chair of inaugural BIMSTEC Health Ministers’ Meeting

Thursday, 12 November 2026 00:02 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa

Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa was yesterday elected Chairman of the inaugural BIMSTEC Health Ministers’ Meeting, which commenced in Colombo, with Sri Lanka assuming the lead role in advancing regional cooperation on public health.

The meeting is being held at the Hilton Colombo, bringing together representatives from all seven member States of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) — Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar and Thailand.

Discussions are focusing on enhancing regional public health security, controlling communicable diseases, improving joint preparedness for health emergencies, and expanding technical cooperation and knowledge-sharing among member States.