Sri Lanka secures US $ 200mn IBRD loan for primary healthcare system

Finance and Mass Media Ministry Secretary Dr. R.H.S. Samaratunga shakes hands with World Bank Country Director for Sri Lanka and the Maldives Idah Z. Pswarayi-Riddihough after signing the financing agreement 

Sri Lanka is to obtain US $ 200 million from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) of the World Bank to implement a primary healthcare system strengthening project.

The development objective of the proposed project is to increase the utilization and quality of primary healthcare services, with an emphasis on detection and management of non-communicable diseases (NCD) in high-risk population groups, in selected areas of the country. 

This objective will be achieved by supporting the reorganization and strengthening of the Sri Lankan primary healthcare system. Specifically, the project will support the development and roll out of policies and standards and strengthening of various supportive systems. The project will lay the foundation for a more integrated, coordinated and people-centred delivery system. 

The primary beneficiaries of the project will be the users of public primary healthcare (PHC) institutions in the selected communities of the country. The primary users of the PHC institutions tend to be the poorer segments of the population. 

Within the communities supported by the project, those who are most at risk of having or developing a severe or catastrophic NCD will be the primary target.

Interventions made by the project will benefit the health sector staff at central and provincial levels by strengthening their capacities and making resources available to plan and execute the strategy for strengthening the PHC services. 

A project steering committee will be established, co-chaired by the secretaries of the Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine Ministry and Internal and Home Affairs and Provincial Councils and Local Governments Ministry. 

The additional members will consist of the secretary to the Finance Commission, nine Provincial Chief Secretaries and representatives from the central Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine Ministry and provincial Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine Ministry.