Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday said that the country's robust public healthcare system provided free access to health and helped control the pandemic.
“Sri Lanka has made remarkable progress in controlling the spread of COVID-19, recording a very low death rate and a high recovery rate through case detection, contact tracing, quarantining and patient treatment,” he said.
The Prime Minister was addressing the 77th Session of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP)via video technology.
This year’s meeting was conducted virtually from April 26-29, 2021, under the theme “Building Back Better from Crises Through Regional Cooperation in Asia and the Pacific.” While the COVID-19 pandemic dominated the discussions this year, other issues such as climate change, debt relief, investments, equitable health access, sustainable development and regional cooperation were also discussed
"The Government also repatriated nearly 100,000 Sri Lankans and started our vaccination program in February," he said. Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa appreciated the efforts taken by the UNESCAP to bring the Member States together for a constructive and interactive regional discussion on the COVID-19 pandemic
Sri Lanka has made remarkable progress in controlling the spread of COVID-19, recording a very low death rate and a high recovery rate through case detection, contact tracing, quarantining and patient treatment.
Even during the pandemic, economic activities continued in several sectors. The export sector continued to function, and tourism restarted in January. The Central Bank reduced policy rates and implemented several concessionary refinancing programs.
“Our Government is deeply committed to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. For this purpose, an Inter-ministerial Steering Committee on Sustainable Development has been formed under my leadership. Our youth are also an important component of our development agenda," the Prime Minister said.
"That is why the decade 2021 to 2030 has been declared the Decade of Skills Development in our country. We are also keen on strengthening our regional ties and emphasize the need to accelerate the “South-South” cooperation," the Prime Minister added.
