Nepal told to follow Lanka's health system

Nadira Gunatilleke

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recommended Nepal to obtain Sri Lanka's advice to formulate its health sector development policy, Health Ministry sources said.

Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva will leave for Nepal today to inspect Nepal's health sector development and also deliver a special lecture on 'Sri Lankan health sector development and its achievements', the sources said.

He will deliver the speech at a ceremony at the Crown Plaza Hotel under the Nepal Prime Minister's patronage.

According to WHO recommendation, Sri Lanka will provide assistance to Nepal for its health sector development.

During the inspection tour, de Silva will have discussions with Nepal Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, Nepal Foreign Minister Sahana Pradhan, Nepal Health and Population Minister Girijamani Kokharel and other officials.

He will also tour the Rupandehi district to inspect health sector development. The sources said initially Nepal made a request from the WHO to obtain assistance from Japan but the WHO recommended Sri Lanka stating that Sri Lanka has the best health sector development in South East Asia.

According to sources, the WHO made the recommendation considering the high quality health service and advanced health sector development in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka was not affected by epidemics like Ebola, Avion influenza and Sars while it is also among the countries which has the lowest HIV prevalence rate.

Sri Lanka is also close to the total eradication of polio, TB, Malaria and other diseases while it has the lowest maternal deaths, infant mortality rate and low weight chid births in the region.