Yesterday, the WHO Representative to Sri Lanka, Dr Rajesh Sambhajirao Pandav handed over the report โTransforming Primary Health Care as the Foundation for Healthier Communities in Sri Lankaโ to the Hon. Minister of Health and Mass Media, Dr Nalinda Jayatissa in the presence of the Hon. Deputy Minister of Health.
This report is the outcome of a two-phase health system review conducted by WHO with support of an international experts team at the request of the Hon. Minister.
The report offers strategic recommendations to advance Universal Health Coverage through a people-centred, Primary Health Care (PHC) oriented approach. A key focus of the review is strengthening Arogya Health and Wellness Centres as the foundation of comprehensive PHC in Sri Lanka.
WHO reaffirms its commitment to supporting the Government of Sri Lanka in translating this shared vision into action and will work together to build a more integrated, resilient, and community-responsive health system for all.
#WHOSriLanka #PrimaryHealthCare #UniversalHealthCoverage
Are you a student or researcher interested in global health? Join us next Wednesday, April 22, to hear #UMN students speak about their experiences doing global health work abroad. https://t.co/4T2ql30LYA
Screen time damages toddlersโ speech, study finds
Average two-year-old spending more than two hours in front of TV or smart device, leading to significantly reduced vocabulary.
https://t.co/vt0Y2VrLIc
STATEMENT:
New analysis from a WHO global expert committee on vaccine safety has found that, based on available evidence, no causal link exists between vaccines and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The conclusion reaffirms WHOโs position that childhood vaccines do not cause autism.
The Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GACVS), established in 1999, brings together international experts to provide independent and authoritative scientific advice to WHO on global vaccine safety related priorities.
The latest analysis, discussed by the Committee on 27 November 2025, focused first on the relationship between thiomersal-containing vaccines and ASD, and the association between vaccines in general and ASD. Evidence based on 31 primary research studies, published between January 2010 and August 2025, including data from multiple countries, strongly supports the positive safety profile of vaccines used during childhood and pregnancy, and confirms the absence of a causal link with ASD.
The Committee also assessed the review of potential health risks associated with vaccines with aluminum adjuvants, drawing on studies conducted from 1999 through March 2023. In addition, it reviewed a recent large cohort study analyzing nationwide registry data of children born in Denmark between 1997 and 2018. In summary, the available high-quality evidence shows no association between the trace amounts of aluminum used in some vaccines and ASD, supporting the ongoing use of vaccines with aluminum adjuvants.
Following its review, GACVS reaffirms its previous conclusions from 2002, 2004 and 2012: vaccines, including those with thiomersal and/or aluminum, do not cause autism.
WHO advises all national authorities to rely on the latest science and ensure vaccine policies are grounded in the strongest available evidence. Global childhood immunization efforts represent one of the greatest achievements in improving lives, livelihoods and the prosperity of societies. During the past 50 years, childhood immunization has saved at least 154 million lives.
When emergencies occur, the impact goes beyond physical damage - mental health is affected too.
Conflicts, disasters and other emergencies take a heavy toll, with 1 in 5 people experiencing a mental health condition.
#MentalHealth support must be prioritized.
The Health Cluster held its third meeting today, convened by #WHO and Co-Chaired by @MoH_SriLanka and Sarvodaya. Members reaffirmed their support to national authorities and committed to working together to address emerging urgent health needs. #FloodResponse#HealthEmergency
๐ขWorld Mental Health Day 2025 Webinar
Bridging the Gap: Mental Health as a Pillar of Disaster Preparedness and Recovery
๐ Date: 2 October 2025
โฐTime: 12:00 โ 1:30 PM (IST)
๐Platform: Zoom
๐ Register here: https://t.co/z844FM2Xji
Sri Lanka is shaping its National Health Policy (2026โ2035) to be gender-responsive, equitable & protective of health workers. With the @MoH_SriLanka Policy Unit, @WHOSriLanka led multisectoral dialogues on education, evidence, law & collaboration to build lasting health.
Itโs World Breastfeeding Week!
Breastfeeding provides the perfect nutrition for babies and a healthy beginning - with benefits that last for life.
From maternity leave to trained counsellors, letโs ensure every mum gets the breastfeeding support she needs!
#HopefulFutures
I attended the panel discussion on "๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ค๐ฌ: ๐๐ฎ๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ฒ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ฆ๐ฌ" at the Conference of SLMA & Launch of the policy document on โ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐ฆ๐๐ซ๐ญ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ง ๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐ข๐ญ๐๐ฅ๐ฌโ.
๐With support from Save the Children Hong Kong, weโre working with Centre for Children's Happiness (CCH) to strengthen local CSOs with contextualised child participation tools in Jaffna & Mullaitivu, equipping them with skills to help children & youth design and lead campaigns on issues that matter to them through our joint effort for #VoicesforChange.
๐ฃ๏ธ In our first child & youth consultation in Jaffna, we created safe spaces ๐ฅ for open discussions, using child & youth (CAY) friendly tools ๐ to understand their needs, and creative storytelling & role-playing ๐ญ to help them express their experiences and ideas.
Inauguration ceremony of ๐๐๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ง๐ง๐ฎ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐จ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ซ๐ข ๐๐๐ง๐ค๐.
As the Chair of the Steering Committee, I had the honour of greeting and welcoming all attendees to the event.
Inauguration ceremony of ๐๐๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ง๐ง๐ฎ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐จ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ซ๐ข ๐๐๐ง๐ค๐.
We were privileged to have Hon. Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa grace the occasion as the Chief Guest @CGPSL
Inauguration ceremony of ๐๐๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ง๐ง๐ฎ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐จ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ซ๐ข ๐๐๐ง๐ค๐.
We were privileged to have Hon. Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa grace the occasion as the Chief Guest @CGPSL
We cordially invite all the ๐๐๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ง๐ง๐ฎ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ซ๐ข ๐๐๐ง๐ค๐.
It is an honour to serve as the Chair of the Steering Committee for this prestigious event
@CGPSL
We cordially invite all the ๐๐๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ง๐ง๐ฎ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ซ๐ข ๐๐๐ง๐ค๐.
It is an honour to serve as the Chair of the Steering Committee for this prestigious event
@CGPSL
We cordially invite all the ๐๐๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ง๐ง๐ฎ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ซ๐ข ๐๐๐ง๐ค๐.
It is an honour to serve as the Chair of the Steering Committee for this prestigious event
@CGPSL
๐๐๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ง๐ง๐ฎ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ซ๐ข ๐๐๐ง๐ค๐.
It is an honour to serve as the Chair of the Steering Committee for this prestigious event
@CGPSL
We cordially invite all the ๐๐๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ง๐ง๐ฎ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ซ๐ข ๐๐๐ง๐ค๐.
It is an honour to serve as the Chair of the Steering Committee for this prestigious event
@CGPSL
We cordially invite all the ๐๐๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ง๐ง๐ฎ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ซ๐ข ๐๐๐ง๐ค๐.
It is an honour to serve as the Chair of the Steering Committee for this prestigious event
@CGPSL
๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ผ๐ฟ.
Mentorship is not just about teaching-it's about guiding, supporting, and inspiring mentees by sharing knowledge and experiences.
@college_of_gps
๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ผ๐ฟ.
Mentorship is not just about teaching-it's about guiding, supporting, and inspiring mentees by sharing knowledge and experiences.
@college_of_gps