A delegation from the Global Fund met with Sri Lanka’s Minister of Health and Mass Media, Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa at the Ministry of Health and Mass Media, on Monday (25), to discuss the country’s Tuberculosis (TB) and HIV/AIDS programmes and their current progress.
The Global Fund representatives arrived in Sri Lanka on March 24 with the primary objective of assessing the progress of the country’s Health programmes related to TB and HIV/AIDS. Additionally, the delegation aimed to review the Health Information and Quality Improvement (HIQI) project, the COVID-19 Response Mechanism (C19RM) Investment programmes, and other ongoing Health initiatives.
During the discussion, the Global Fund officials also highlighted their plans to strengthen Sri Lanka’s Healthcare system by meeting key stakeholders, including Government representatives and donors. They emphasised the implementation of the Global Fund’s 7th Grant Cycle (GC7) for TB and HIV/AIDS, as well as enhancing Digital Health services and Investment mechanisms for Pandemic preparedness.
Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa expressed his gratitude to the Global Fund for its over 20 years of continuous support, particularly in combating HIV/AIDS, TB, and Malaria in Sri Lanka. He acknowledged the Fund’s role in mobilising resources to improve Disease Prevention and Treatment and strengthening the Healthcare system.
The Global Fund, established in 2002, is a key international financing organisation dedicated to combating AIDS, TB, and Malaria. It provides financial support to eligible countries, helping them implement Health programmes that improve access to Treatment, Prevention, and Care.
Secretary to the Ministry of Health and Mass Media Dr. Anil Jasinghe, Director General of Health Services Dr. Asela Gunawardena, Deputy Director General (Public Health Services 1) S.M. Arnold, Global Fund Portfolio Manager Sylwia Murray, Global Fund Specialist in Health Product Management Luckson Sichamba, Global Fund Digital Services Manager for Country Programmes, Robert Cryer, Director of Technology & Financial Transformation and Deloitte Project Manager Asanka Wasalathilaka and Executive Secretary and Monitoring Officer of Sri Lanka’s Global Fund Coordination Mechanism Dr. Kanthi Ariyarathna also participated in this discussion.
