Thursday Aug 21, 2025
Thursday Aug 21, 2025
Thursday, 21 August 2025 05:11 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
President Anura Kumara Disanayake on Tuesday underscored sweeping reforms in the country’s health and mass media sectors, directing officials to prioritise primary healthcare expansion, procurement efficiency, and institutional modernisation in the 2026 Budget.
The review, held at the Presidential Secretariat, evaluated progress of projects funded under the 2025 Budgetary allocations to the Health and Mass Media Ministry, covering 41 institutions under four departments. It also served as a pre-Budget consultation for the upcoming year.
A key focus was strengthening the primary healthcare network. Currently, one Primary Health Centre caters to around 30,000 people. The Government plans to scale this to one centre for every 10,000 people, a move that would significantly expand grassroots health access.
The President highlighted that a new National Health Policy and Strategic Plan will be launched next year to align service delivery with demographic pressures and technological advances.
The meeting also examined organisational reforms in the health service, with emphasis on modernising facilities, addressing stalled construction projects, and updating procurement systems.
Disanayake called for urgent improvements in the procurement of medical equipment and medicines, including for the Ayurvedic sector. To bolster credibility, a digital verification mechanism for health-related donations is under consideration.
In addition, the President instructed officials to fast-track the acquisition of essential vehicles for critical services such as the National Blood Transfusion Service within 2025. The “Suwa Seriya” ambulance service, currently active in 272 locations, is set for a major expansion to 400 locations countrywide, underscoring the Government’s emphasis on emergency response infrastructure.
On the mass media front, the President said State media must take responsibility for shaping public attitudes and directed the preparation of a dedicated Budget plan to strengthen this role. Additionally, modernising the Postal Service into a hybrid courier and digital service was discussed, reflecting the administration’s push to adapt legacy State institutions to contemporary needs.
Disanayake cautioned that in the past, inadequate funding hindered reforms, but stressed that the 2025 Budget had provided sufficient allocations. He urged Ministries to ensure that funds are efficiently utilised so that the public sees tangible benefits.
Health and Mass Media Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Treasury Secretary Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma, Health and Mass Media Ministry Secretary Dr. Anil Jasinghe, Senior Additional Secretaries to the President Russell Aponsu and Kapila Janaka Bandara, along with several senior officials of the Health and Mass Media Ministry, were present on this occasion.
