Indonesian Ambassador Dewi Gustina Tobing met with Minister of Health and Mass Media Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa on Monday (1) at the Ministry premises to discuss strengthening bilateral cooperation in healthcare.

The Ambassador commended the government’s forward-looking plans to enhance the health sector and reaffirmed Indonesia’s support in expanding access to quality healthcare services.

She also inquired about Sri Lanka’s state-to-state pharmaceutical procurement programme and opportunities to increase the supply of Indonesian-produced medicines to the local market.

Minister Jayatissa highlighted several initiatives, including expanding local pharmaceutical production, improving procurement processes, facilitating imports from Indonesia, and implementing a new primary healthcare promotion programme.

He further stressed the importance of strengthening bilateral ties not only in health but also in cultural, political, and economic areas.

Health Ministry Secretary Dr. Anil Jasinghe and Indonesian Embassy Third Secretary Sheila Ananta Ully were also present at the discussions.

A 23-member delegation of the Sri Lanka–India Parliamentary Friendship Association, led by Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, Minister of Health and Mass Media, visited India from August 26 to 30. The delegation comprised office-bearers and executive committee members of the Friendship Association, representing various political Parties, along with Parliamentary staff. The visit provided the delegation an opportunity to witness India’s institutional and developmental transformation across key sectors.

The delegation called on the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Shri Om Birla. Welcoming the recent formation of the Friendship Association, the Speaker emphasised the importance of building institutional capacities and exploring new areas of collaboration. The visiting delegation conveyed appreciation for India’s consistent and unconditional support to Sri Lanka and reiterated their commitment to advancing bilateral relations between the two countries.

In a separate engagement, Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa held a bilateral meeting with Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda, Minister of Health and Family Welfare of India, discussing ongoing cooperation in the Health sector and identified opportunities for further collaboration.

During the visit, the delegation also explored India’s advancements in Public Health and Education. This included visits to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Jan Aushadhi Kendra—a flagship initiative providing affordable essential medicines—and the edtech startup Physics Wallah. These visits offered valuable insights into India’s innovation-led approach in Healthcare and Education, and its scalable models for inclusive development.

To enhance Economic and Commercial linkages, the delegation participated in a Business Roundtable organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). The discussion focused on deepening Trade and Investment ties, with emphasis on cooperation in the areas of Pharmaceuticals, Healthcare infrastructure, and Technology.

Additionally, the delegation attended informative sessions organised by the Parliamentary Research and Training Institute for Democracies (PRIDE) on Legislative procedures, committee functioning, Governance frameworks, and Media engagement.

The visit marked a significant milestone in the evolving Parliamentary partnership between India and Sri Lanka. Coming within 3 months of the formation of the Sri Lanka–India Parliamentary Friendship Association in May 2025, and following the visit of 20 Sri Lankan Members of Parliament for an orientation programme in India earlier that month, this delegation-level visit reinforces the strong democratic ethos and enduring friendship shared between the two nations.

Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Khalid Hamoud Nasser Alkahtani praised the Government’s new policy of establishing a people-friendly health service free from corruption and malpractices.

He assured continued support for the development of Sri Lanka’s health and media sectors.

The Ambassador had made this assurance when he met Health and Mass Media Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa at his Ministry recently.

In partnership with the Digital Economy Ministry and the Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA), Meta launched a Digital Government Day programme to upskill media secretaries and representatives of state media institutions.

This is the first workshop that provided the necessary skills in using digital media such as Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Threads effectively to communicate the digital transformation journey.

The sessions were conducted and lead by Kaiya Waddell, Director of Government and Social Impact, APAC; Neha Mathur, Partner Manager, Government and Social Impact; Dr Priyanka Bhalla, Safety Policy Manager, South Asia; and Senura Abeywardena, Head of Public Policy, Central Asia, Mongolia, Sri Lanka and Maldives, Meta.

The discussions focused on several themes: Digital transformation journeys for governments maximising reach and impact; Best practices on community building; and Engaging citizens through storytelling and best practices on reels and emerging formats.

India has rolled out a two-week capacity-building programme for a visiting delegation of Media officials from Sri Lanka, as part of the follow-up to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the island nation in April 2025.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal shared details of the programme in a post on X.

They would also be visiting Odisha for training cum study tour. While in Odisha, the focus would be on understanding the regional Media landscape in India, he said.

The initiative comes as part of India’s broader commitment to support capacity building across multiple sectors in Sri Lanka, aimed at enhancing bilateral cooperation and people-to-people ties. This engagement followed other outreach efforts, including the visit of a 24-member delegation of young political leaders from Sri Lanka last month, who met Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri in New Delhi. India, on that occasion, underlined their role in deepening the bilateral partnership between the two countries. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the visit was part of India ongoing efforts to build stronger political partnerships with Sri Lanka.

A 24-member delegation of young political leaders from 14 political parties of Sri Lanka called on Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri as they began their two-week-long programme in India. Foreign Secretary emphasised their valuable role in deepening the India-SriLanka partnership as stakeholders in its future roadmap, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had said in a post on X.

This visit followed a series of recent high-level exchanges between India and Sri Lanka.

Last year, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar was the first foreign dignitary to visit Sri Lanka after Anura Kumara Dissanayake took charge as President. During that visit, India had announced the conversion of completed Line of Credit projects worth US$ 20 million into grants and also gifted 22 diesel locomotives to Sri Lankan Railways.

Later in the same year, President Dissanayake visited India on his first overseas State visit. He was accompanied by Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath and Labour Minister Anil Jayantha. During the visit, he held talks with President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, and other senior leaders.

A joint statement titled Fostering Partnerships for a Shared Future was released during the visit. The two sides also signed a protocol to amend the Double Taxation Agreement and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for training Sri Lankan civil servants.

India also announced financial support of US$ 14.9 million for a Railway signaling project in the Maho-Anuradhapura section, and offered 100 Scholarships each year to students from the University of Jaffna and Eastern University. (ANI)

With the aim of providing high-quality and efficient healthcare services to the people, 20 advanced technology ambulances were handed over to government hospitals today (25) under the patronage of the Minister of Health and Mass Media, Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, at the Ministry of Health and Mass Media premises.

Each ambulance, valued at over Rs. 25.7 million, was distributed to hospitals under both the Central Government and Provincial Councils with the support of the Health Systems Improvement Project and the financial contribution of the Asian Development Bank.

These new ambulances come equipped with modern facilities, enabling patients to receive critical care during transport to hospitals.

The 20 ambulances were allocated to ten district general hospitals, including Embilipitiya, Nawalapitiya, Matale, Negombo, Trincomalee, Nuwara Eliya, Chilaw, Monaragala, Dambulla, and Horana; teaching hospitals in Polonnaruwa, Batticaloa, Badulla, and Anuradhapura; base hospitals in Pottuvil, Kantale, Akkaraipattu, Dehiattakandiya; as well as the Ampara General Hospital and Sigiriya Hospital.

Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa stated that additional ambulances required by the hospital system under both the Central Government and Provincial Councils will be provided in phases. He added that efforts will continue to secure support from the Central Government, special health development projects, and international partners.

The Minister also highlighted ongoing initiatives to strengthen the physical resources of the hospital system, ensuring that improvements are carried out systematically and efficiently. He reaffirmed the Ministry of Health’s commitment to delivering the best possible healthcare services to the people of Sri Lanka.

The event was also attended by the Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Mass Media, Specialist Dr. Anil Jasinghe; Additional Secretaries Chamika Gamage, Sunil Galagama, Janaka Kithsiri Gunawardena; Director General of Health Services Dr. Asela Gunawardena; Deputy Director General Dinipriya Herath; Director (Transport) Nilanga Dilhan Somapala; Director of the Asian Development Bank’s Health Systems Improvement Project in Sri Lanka Dr. Anil Dissanayake; along with other officials and employees of the Ministry of Health and Mass Media.

A total of 61 journalists received Asidisi Media Scholarships for 2025 at a ceremony held yesterday (22) at the Mass Media Division of the Ministry of Health and Mass Media in Polhengoda, under the patronage of Health and Media Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa.

The scholarships aim to support full-time, part-time, freelance, regional, web journalists, and media technicians with at least three years of service in recognized media institutions. Recipients will receive up to Rs. 200,000 for degree and postgraduate programs, and up to Rs. 100,000 for certificate and diploma courses, with the government allocating Rs. 7 million this year.

Minister Jayatissa noted that since the launch of the program in 2006, a total of 1,133 journalists have benefited. He emphasized that selections were made by an independent committee without political or personal influence.

The minister also announced that a formal insurance scheme for journalists is planned for next year, alongside other initiatives such as developing a national media policy, a media ethics framework, and a media academy.

Senior officials, including Ministry Secretary Dr. Anil Jasinghe and Director General of Government Information Harsha Bandara, also attended the event.

In recognition of her outstanding contribution to Sri Lanka’s music industry, the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) today (22) named one of its studios after Dr. Nanda Malini. Studio 09 will henceforth be known as the Dr. Nanda Malini Studio.

Prime Minister, speaking at the event, praised Dr. Malini for her fearless artistry, noting that she was unafraid to use her voice not only for love and romance but also against oppression, terror, and social injustice. He said naming a studio at the National Broadcasting Corporation in her honor is a truly special occasion.

Reflecting on her career, Dr. Malini said that the Broadcasting Corporation was the foundation of her musical journey, providing opportunities to work alongside the greats of her time.

SLBC Chairman, Professor Uditha Gayashan Gunasekara, described Dr. Malini as an artist who transcended art itself and acknowledged that she had once been unfairly banned from radio broadcasts. He extended an apology on behalf of the Corporation, assuring that such an era would never return.

The ceremony was attended by Ministers Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa and Dr. Hiniduma Sunil Senevi, Deputy Minister Dr. Hansaka Wijemuni, SLBC Director General Sudath Ratnaweera, Deputy Director General Tharaka Medhavi Dissanayake, as well as fellow artists and dignitaries.

The scholarship award ceremony for journalists under the “Asidisi” Journalism Scholarship Programme, implemented annually by the Media Division of the Ministry of Health and Mass Media with the aim of equipping all journalists with knowledge, skills and attitude to establish a professional journalism ethic, will be held on Friday, August 22, 2025 at 3:00 p.m., at the Media Division Auditorium, Polhengoda, Ministry of Health and Mass Media, under the patronage of the Minister of Health and Mass Media, Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, with the participation of the Secretary to the Ministry of Health and Mass Media, Dr. Anil Jasinghe.

The aim of this project is to provide opportunities and encourage journalists to develop their professional skills through training courses in order to face the challenges of the twenty-first century.

These scholarships will be provided on a non-refundable basis to journalists, freelance journalists, regional journalists, web journalists and media technicians, between the ages of 18-55 years who have obtained the Journalist Identity Card issued by the Department of Government Information for journalists, who are employed on a full-time or part-time basis in recognised electronic and print media institutions in the island and who have completed 03 years of service.

This scholarship amount is provided up to a maximum of two hundred thousand rupees (Rs. 200,000.00) for undergraduate and postgraduate courses, and up to a maximum of one hundred thousand rupees (Rs. 100,000.00) for short-term or long-term certificate courses, diplomas, and advanced diplomas.

Scholarship recipients can pursue courses related to the media field conducted by recognised universities and higher educational training institutions.

This scholarship scheme, which is provided free of charge by the government without any additional fees, provides journalists with the opportunity to receive benefits twice, and journalists who have successfully completed the first course after 5 years of qualifying in the first instance can apply for the second opportunity.

Journalists who are eligible for the scholarship will be paid 25% of the course fee as the first instalment at the beginning of the course, 25% of the remaining 50% as the second instalment of the course, and the remaining 25% upon completion of the course and submission of certificates.

The beneficiaries were selected after interviewing the applicants by a selection committee appointed by the Secretary to the Ministry of Mass Media.

• A new transformation in the health sector with priority given to primary healthcare
• Create a strategy to engage state media in transforming society’s attitudes

– President

A review of the projects implemented under the 2025 budgetary allocations for the Ministry of Health and Mass Media, together with a pre-budget discussion for the year 2026, was held today (19) at the Presidential Secretariat under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

The discussion broadly scrutinized the allocations made for 41 institutions under four departments of the Ministry of Health and Mass Media, as well as the progress of projects implemented accordingly.

The President instructed officials to focus special attention in the upcoming budget on strengthening primary healthcare services. He also reviewed the ongoing programme for developing Primary Health Centres. It was revealed that currently one Primary Health Centre operates per 30,000 people; the plan is to improve one centre per 10,000 people.

Discussions were held on organisational and structural reforms in the health service to match current technological and social conditions. Attention was also focused on the construction works within the health sector and the issues that have emerged there.

The meeting addressed the key issue of medical equipment procurement and considered updating procurement guidelines, including those applicable to the Ayurvedic sector. Plans to enhance facilities of the National Medicines Regulatory Authority to ensure the quality of medicines purchased were also discussed.

The President instructed officials to ensure that essential vehicles required for services such as the National Blood Transfusion Service are acquired within this year itself.

He further emphasised the need for transformation not only in the physical resources of the health service but also in human resources, in response to technological advancement and population growth. It was also noted that a new National Health Policy and Strategic Plan are scheduled to be launched next year.

The President pointed out the importance of effectively using foreign aid and grants to deliver the intended benefits to the people and suggested that issues arising at provincial level be resolved through dialogue.

Attention was also drawn to ensuring the credibility of health-related donations, with a proposal to introduce a digital mechanism that confirms reliability for both donors and recipients.

It was revealed that the “Suwa Seriya” ambulance service, currently operational in different parts of the country, will be further expanded from 272 ambulances to 400.

Future plans relating to the Ministry of Mass Media were also discussed. The President stated that intervention to shape social attitudes is a responsibility of state media. Accordingly, he instructed officials to present a plan to engage state media in this process, with allocations to be set aside for this purpose in the upcoming budget.

Extensive discussion was also held on modernising the Postal Service to suit present day requirements. The need to transform it into a new model by integrating courier services and similar facilities with modern technology was underlined.

The President noted that the problem in the past had been insufficient budgetary allocations for necessary projects. However, in contrast, the most recent budget has allocated adequate provisions for all sectors. He stressed the importance of properly utilizing these allocations during the financial year into the intended projects so that the public receive the maximum benefits.

Minister of Health and Mass Media Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma, Secretary to the Ministry of Health and Mass Media Dr. Anil Jasinghe, Senior Additional Secretaries to the President Russell Aponsu and Kapila Janaka Bandara, along with several senior officials of the Ministry of Health and Mass Media, were present on this occasion.

Senior journalist Daya Lankapura has been appointed as the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Right to Information (RTI) Commission.

The appointment, made by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and approved by the Constitutional Council, marks a significant recognition of his over 60-year career in journalism.

Lankapura began his career in 1965 with Eththa, the official newspaper of the Communist Party, and went on to work for Divaina, Silumina, Dinamina, Rivira, and Lakbima.

He also served as a correspondent for the BBC Sandeshaya and the Government Information Department.

A graduate of the University of Colombo, he is noted for his court reporting on the Premawathi Manamperi murder case at the Galle Magistrate’s Court and his long service as a parliamentary reporter.