Sri Lanka is a strong and resilient nation against global health emergencies, WHO Sri Lanka Public Health Administrator Dr. Olivia Nieveras told a webinar organised last week to mark the 75th anniversary of the signing the UN Charter in San Francisco.
She said that the WHO is confident that Sri Lanka is well prepared to face a future pandemic similar to Covid-19.
“During the past decade Sri Lanka faced many challenges such as natural disasters and health emergencies. I am quite confident that Sri Lanka is ready to face another pandemic. During a global pandemic, the behaviour of people is the key to overcome challenges. Sri Lankans showed their abilities during the pandemic,” she said. Nieveras said Sri Lanka has an excellent human resources capacity compared to countries of the region. “For every 1,000 people there is a doctor and two nurses in Sri Lanka which is in par with global healthcare standards,” she said.
Project Manager at the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), Gayan Manorathna said Sri Lanka needs sustainable infrastructure facilities to develop its health sector.
“e-commerce in the health procurement sector could improve healthcare infrastructure in Sri Lanka. We strongly believe that Sri Lanka’s health sector should invest more in sustainable infrastructure and sustainable procurement,” he said.