Dr. Palitha Abeykoon appointed to Global Preparedness Board on health

By Darshana Abayasingha

Dr. Palitha Abeykoon has been appointed to the Board of Directors of the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board, co-convened by the World Health Organisation and The World Bank.

The Board is mandated to provide comprehensive analysis and recommendations on global readiness to meet any health emergencies such as COVID-19.

A Senior Advisor to the WHO and the Ministry of Health in Sri Lanka, Dr. Abeykoon is the only member on the Board serving in the South Asian region and adds another accolade to his long list of accomplishments in the sphere of public health in Asia together with the WHO, The World Bank, UNFPA and others. Dr. Abeykoon recently served as a Special Envoy for the WHO Director-General on COVID-19.

As an independent monitoring and advocacy body, the GPMB urges political action to prepare for and mitigate effects of global health emergencies. The Board builds on work of the Global Health Crises Task Force and works independently of all parties, including its co-convenors.

Dr. Abeykoon states his role within the GPMB is to bring into focus the public health aspects of preparedness and response based on his expertise and experience in Southeast Asia.