Nimal Siripala de Silva in Geneva

Image: Minister Nimal Siripala with Director-General of WHO Dr Margaret Chan

(January 28, Geneva, Sri Lanka Guardian) The 122nd Executive Board Meeting of the WHO convened in Geneva from 21st to 26th February 2008 at the premises of the WHO headquarters. The Health Ministers and other Senior Health officials of 34 Executive Board Member countries participated at this meeting and held extensive discussions on several issues of the World Health Agenda of the year 2008.

Nimal Siripala de Silva, the Minister of Healthcare and Nutrition represented Sri Lanka at the 122nd Executive Board Meeting. The Minister made several interventions on behalf of Sri Lanka and the South East Asia Region on issues of serious concern.

Minister strongly backed the position maintained by China on International Health Regulations and voted in favour for the amendments made by China to the resolution. Minister voiced his concern at the use of a technical forum such as Executive Board of the WHO for unwarranted political gain by various political forces.

Speaking on the issue of Climate Change and Health, Minister reiterated the dire consequences that small island countries may face due to climate change and urged the members of the Executive Board to address the questions of climate change without delay.

Co-sponsoring the resolution on Health of Migrants and extending Sri Lanka's fullest support to the resolution, Minister stated that 1.5 million Sri Lankans were working as migrant workers in the Middle Eastern and other regions in the world. Minister said that the right to health and enjoyment of good health is a basic right of human beings and regretted that some recipient countries of migrant workers did not provide a sound mental and physical health environment for migrant workers. Minister requested the Executive Board and the WHO to address seriously the health problems faced by the migrant workers

Addressing the Board on Migration of Health Professionals, Minister said that the developing countries have become the breeding ground for skilful and able health professionals for developed countries. Stating the challenging situation faced by Sri Lanka, Minister stated that only 16 out 65 consultant psychiatrics that Sri Lanka had heavily invested through a free education system up to the university level, returned to the country after respective higher trainings in developed countries. Minister further queried the Board as to how developing nations could achieve millennium development goals on health if the health professionals are broadly absorbed by developed nations without careful consideration of the difficult situation confronted by developing nations.

Minister urged the developed countries to introduce new rules and regulations on immigration and emigration by the developed countries where the health professionals of developing nations will be compelled to serve some part of their careers in their home countries. Minister further said that some sort of compensation should be granted for the shortfall that Sri Lanka has experienced due to brain drain of health professionals.

On the Strategies to reduce the harmful use of alcohol, Minister informed the Executive Board the measures that Sri Lanka had taken to reduce the harmful use of alcohol. Elaborating the "Mathata Thitha" programme introduced by the "Mahinda Chinthanaya" under the auspices of the President Mahinda Rajapakse, Minister stated that Sri Lanka has developed a national policy on tobacco and alcohol and has established an authority called National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol.

After lengthy discussions on several other key issues on Health matters and WHA agenda, the meeting of the Executive Board will conclude its deliberations on the 26th of January 2008.

During his stay in Geneva, Minister held several other bi-lateral meetings with the professionals at the WHO. Minister met with Dr. B. Saraceno, Acting Director- Chronic Disease Health Promotion and briefed Dr. Saraceno of a chronic renal disease which has been observed in middle aged male farmers in the North Central Province in Sri Lanka. Hon. Minister informed that available research and data on this subject have not helped so far in identifying an alien cause of this disease and requested the WHO to provide Sri Lanka with a technical team to properly plan and to execute research on this subject. It is expected that the WHO will send a team of experts on this area of study to carry out a research based programme next month.

At an informal meeting with Nick Thorne, the British Permanent Representative/ Ambassador in Geneva, Minister briefed him on the ground realities with regard to the conflict in Sri Lanka and expressed Sri Lanka's commitment to a negotiated political settlement to the country's conflict. Minister also conveyed his experiences as the peace negotiator at talks held in Geneva.