The Department of Community Medicine is designated as a WHO Collaborating Centre for Training and Research in Occupational Health. The designation came into effect on 30th July 2012 and the formal ceremony took place on 15 October 2012 by the unveiling of a plaque by Dr. Sanjay Thinley, Director Family Health and Research of WHO/SEARO. The ceremony was attended by Dr. Salma Burton, Dr. Athula Kahandaliyanage, Director for sustainable development and healthy environment of the WHO/SEARO and the WHO Representative to Sri Lanka Dr. Firdosi Rustom Mehta, amidst other officials from the WHO country office, Ministry of Health, Department of Labour and the University of Colombo.
The department and the centre was visited by the former WHO Regional Director for South East Asia, Dr. Samlee Plianbangchang on 8 October 2013. He was received by a formal ceremony held in the Board Room of the Faculty of Medicine, Colombo.
Since the designation, each year the progress made by the centre is submitted online by means of a annual progress report. The last report was submitted for the period 31 July 2013-31 July 2014. The Collaborating Centre is working towards achieving the objectives of the WHO-Global Plan of Action on Workers Health & Global Master Plan (2012-2017).