The Sri Lankan health system is recognized regionally and globally as a high-impact, low-cost model. This achievement was built on the foundations of a health care system that has been free at the point of delivery; adopting key primary health care principles since 1926. However, Sri Lanka’s health outcomes have been threatened by multiple challenges; the increasing elderly population, the rise of non-communicable diseases, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the most catastrophic economic and financial crisis of the country since its independence. These poly-crises have re-emphasized the importance of identifying evidence-based and high-impact interventions for strengthening the health system. A Policy Center focusing on national health priorities related to health systems and primary health care is critical to address the above needs.
At the request of the Ministry of Health, through a competitive process, World Health Organization (WHO) Sri Lanka selected academic partners to form the “Center for Health Systems Policy and Innovation” (CHSPI). The University of Colombo which is Sri Lanka’s oldest higher education institution founded in 1921 is functioning as the local academic partner of CHSPI while The George Institute for Global Health which is a leading independent global medical research institute with major Centers in Australia, China, India and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the international collaborator. The CHSPI is hosted by the Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo. This endeavor is supported by the Government of Canada and the Asian Development Bank.
The Center for Health Systems Policy and Innovation was ceremoniously opened on 24 August 2023 by Dr Alaka Singh, WHO Representative to Sri Lanka with the participation of officials of the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, University of Colombo, and other universities, development partners, academia and other professionals.
The Center for Health Systems Policy and Innovation is expected to provide the necessary support needed for the Ministry of Health to generate high-quality evidence for informed decision-making, develop capacities of the health workforce, create a platform for knowledge sharing, build consensus around health sector reforms, and testing out new service delivery models and innovations related to primary health care. It is expected to provide a platform for all stakeholders including the Ministry of Health, other local universities, and international academic institutions to come together to provide practical and impactful support for health system strengthening in the country.
As its first capacity-building programme, CHSPI has now launched a virtual course on “Implementation Science: Adoption and Integration of Evidence-based Practices”, and 60 postgraduate trainees have been selected as the first cohort of participants. Further capacity-building programmes and policy dialogues are being planned to be conducted over the next few months.
The University of Colombo, Faculty of Medicine and the George Institute for Global Health in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, World Health Organization, and Asian Development Bank recently established a Centre for Health Systems Policy and Innovation (CHSPI) which aims to provide an impactful support to build better, more resilient primary health care-centred health systems, through generating evidence to inform policies, developing capacities to improve evidence-based policy and decision-making, and creating platforms to increase dialogue between key stakeholders.
On 12th of December, 2023 the WHO organised the International Universal Health Coverage day with the participation of Hon. Minister of Health, Dr Ramesh Pathirana, along with the respective government officials and key stakeholders in the relevant fields of the country. There, Prof Upul Senarath addressed the dialogue on better care for elderly by representing the CHSPI. The aim of this dialogue was to identify rational direction for the next health policy cycle on what can be done effectively for our ageing population.
The opening remarks of the event was begun at 9.00 A.M. in Galle Face Hotel premises and continued till 3.00 P.M with a very fruitful and effective group discussion. On the same day the 75th Anniversary of WHO in Sri Lanka was celebrated with the issue of a first day stamp cover.
CHSPI is looking forward to organize more policy dialogue events in near future as a continuation of the policy dialogues
Based on the ideas generated through the last policy dialogue which was held on the 12th of December 2023, CHSPI organized its next discussion focusing on improving intermediate care for older adults through an integrated and holistic approach. The dialogue was successfully held on on the 15th February, 2024 with the participation of number of consultants in WHO and Ministry of Health and it was held from 9.00am to 2.00pm at 5th Floor of UCFM Tower, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo.
Firstly, Vidyajothi Professor Vajira Dissanayake, Dean, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo welcomed participants and introduced the objective of the event. Then, Prof Upul Senarath summarized the first policy dialogue and the aims of the second policy dialogue. After the tea break, under the technical inputs for the policy dialogue on intermediate care, Dr Barana Millawithana, President, Sri Lankan Association of Geriatric Medicine defined the scope of intermediate care and Intermediate care in Sri Lankan context was spoken by Dr. Chamila Dalpatadu, Consultant Physician Senior Lecturer and Director of the Ambulatory care and aged care research center, Department of Physiology, University of Colombo.
Then most important part of the session was on open discussion on intermediate care for older adults in perspectives of service needs, human resources, financing options, partnerships and governance which was conducted under the moderation of Dr. H.S.R. Perera, Consultant to the WHO and Dr. Vinya Ariyarathne, Immediate past president of the Sri Lanka Medical Association. Thereafter, the dialogue was concluded by summarizing the day and remaking the way forward.
