Sri Lanka secures US $ 106.9mn from ADB to strengthen universal health coverage

Sri Lanka inked a loan and grant agreement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to strengthen the country’s health system and governance framework for universal health coverage, the Finance Ministry said.

The agreement involves a US $ 100 million loan, under the ADB’s Regular Ordinary Capital Resources and an additional US $ 6.9 million grant from the Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response Trust Fund (Pandemic Fund). 

The financing will support the implementation of the Strengthening Integrated Health Care and Governance for Universal Health Coverage Programme, under the result-based lending modality.

According to the ministry, the programme is designed to support the national strategic framework for developing health services to enhance the efficiency and quality of secondary healthcare as first referral care for achieving universal health coverage.

The programme will comprise three main components: enhancing first referral care services, improving pandemic prevention, preparedness and response and strengthening health sector technical capacity and pharmaceutical supply chain management.

The Health and Mass Media Ministry will serve as the executing and implementing agency, while the nine Provincial Departments of Health Services will also act as implementing agencies.

The loan and grant agreements were inked yesterday between Finance, Planning and Economic Development Ministry Secretary Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma, on behalf of the Sri Lankan government and ADB Sri Lanka Resident Mission Country Director Takafumi Kadono, on behalf of the ADB.