SL will contest for WHO Chairmanship

Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva says there is a greater possibility of Sri Lanka being elected chairman of the World Health Organisation, at the elections to be held at the World Health Organisation headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland next month. Many member nations of the organization and especially in the Asian region maintains the stance that Sri Lanka should receive chairmanship.
WHO representative for the South East Asian region Dr. Sharmalee Flayn Ban Vang met Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva at the Ministry of Health this morning. She and the WHO Sri Lanka Resident Director Dr. Agastino Bora have discussed in depth with the minister on future assistance to provided by the organization for Sri Lanka’s health programmes.
The Ministry of Health says the WHO has taken into account the progress achieved by Sri Lanka in the health sector in the past five years. Sri Lanka has been successfully in preventing the intrusion of bird flu epidemic, which had spread in many countries in the world. The AIDS disease is still not in an epidemic level in the island.
The health minister has pointed out that Sri Lanka is the only country in the world where free health services are being provided.
He added funds for the health sector have not been curtailed despite the fact that the country is engaged in a war for the past three decades. The Minister also said Sri Lanka is the only country in the world where health professionals are being trained at government expense and given compulsory state employment after training.
Sri Lanka has recorded the lowest birth rates and maternal death rates among all South Asian countries.