Sri Lanka to introduce new Mental Health Act - Deputy Minister

Deputy Minister of Health Dr. Hansaka Wijemuni has announced that Sri Lanka’s Mental Health Act will be updated and introduced in the near future.

Speaking at the centennial celebrations of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), Dr. Wijemuni highlighted that the country’s mental health services are at a pivotal stage of development. He noted that the current Mental Health Act has been in place for a hundred years and requires modernisation.  

“The process of updating the Act is already underway, and the new Mental Health Act will be brought forward soon,” the Deputy Minister said.  

Dr. Wijemuni added that while the task is challenging, the initial draft of the proposed legislation has already been submitted to Parliament and the Cabinet. The draft will then be circulated for public feedback before finalisation.