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Hon. Minister of Health of Sri Lanka in
Geneva
The Permanent Mission
of Sri Lanka to the United Nations Office at Geneva
25th January 2008
The 122nd Executive Board Meeting of the WHO convened
in Geneva from 21st to 26 th February 2008 at the premises of the WHO
headquarters. The Health Ministers and other Senior Health officials
of 34 Executive Board Member countries participated at this meeting
and held extensive discussions on several issues of the World Health
Agenda of the year 2008.
Hon. Nimal Siripala de Silva, the Minister of Healthcare and Nutrition
represented Sri Lanka at the 122 nd Executive Board Meeting. Hon. Minister
made several interventions on behalf of Sri Lanka and the South East
Asia Region on issues of serious concern.
Hon. Minister strongly backed the position maintained by China on International
Health Regulations and voted in favour for the amendments made by China
to the resolution. Hon. Minister voiced his concern at the use of a
technical forum such as Executive Board of the WHO for unwarranted political
gain by various political forces.
Speaking on the issue of Climate Change and Health, Hon. Minister reiterated
the dire consequences that small island countries may face due to climate
change and urged the members of the Executive Board to address the questions
of climate change without delay.
Co-sponsoring the resolution on Health of Migrants and extending Sri
Lank's fullest support to the resolution, Hon. Minister stated that
1.5 million Sri Lankans were working as migrant workers in the Middle
Eastern and other regions in the world. Hon. Minister said that the
right to health and enjoyment of good health is a basic right of human
beings and regretted that some recipient countries of migrant workers
did not provide a sound mental and physical health environment for migrant
workers. Hon. Minister requested the Executive Board and the WHO to
address seriously the health problems faced by the migrant workers
Addressing the Board on Migration of Health Professionals, Hon. Minister
said that the developing countries have become the breeding ground for
skilful and able health professionals for developed countries. Stating
the challenging situation faced by Sri Lanka, Hon. Minister stated that
only 16 out 65 consultant psychiatrics that Sri Lanka had heavily invested
through a free education system up to the university level, returned
to the country after respective higher trainings in developed countries.
Hon. Minister further queried the Board as to how developing nations
could achieve millennium development goals on health if the health professionals
are broadly absorbed by developed nations without careful consideration
of the difficult situation confronted by developing nations.
Hon. Minister urged the developed countries to introduce new rules and
regulations on immigration and emigration by the developed countries
where the health professionals of developing nations will be compelled
to serve some part of their careers in their home countries. Hon. Minister
further said that some sort of compensation should be granted for the
shortfall that Sri Lanka has experienced due to brain drain of health
professionals.
On the Strategies to reduce the harmful use of alcohol, Hon. Minister
informed the Executive Board the measures that Sri Lanka had taken to
reduce the harmful use of alcohol. Elaborating the "Mathata Thitha"
programme introduced by the "Mahinda Chinthanaya" under the
auspices of His Excellency the President Mahinda Rajapakse, Hon. Minister
stated that Sri Lanka has developed a national policy on tobacco and
alcohol and has established an authority called National Authority on
Tobacco and Alcohol.
After lengthy discussions on several other key issues on Health matters
and WHA agenda, the meeting of the Executive Board will conclude its
deliberations on the 26 th of January 2008.
During his stay in Geneva, Hon. Minister held several other bi-lateral
meetings with the professionals at the WHO. Hon. Minister met with Dr.
B. Saraceno, Acting Director- Chronic Disease Health Promotion and briefed
Dr. Saraceno of a chronic renal disease which has been observed in middle
aged male farmers in the North Central Province in Sri Lanka. Hon. Minister
informed that available research and data on this subject have not helped
so far in identifying an alien cause of this disease and requested the
WHO to provide Sri Lanka with a technical team to properly plan and
to execute research on this subject. It is expected that the WHO will
send a team of experts on this area of study to carry out a research
based programme next month.
At an informal meeting with H.E. Mr. Nick Thorne, the British Permanent
Representative/ Ambassador in Geneva, Hon. Minister briefed him on the
ground realities with regard to the conflict in Sri Lanka and expressed
Sri Lanka's commitment to a negotiated political settlement to the country's
conflict. Minister also conveyed his experiences as the peace negotiator
at talks held in Geneva.
Concluding a successful series of meetings at the WHO, Hon. Minister
will return to Sri Lanka on the 26 th of January 2008.
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