Sri Lanka Marks 100 Years of Public Health Service with National Celebration

Sri Lanka celebrated the centenary of its Public Health Service today (21) with a national ceremony held at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) in Colombo, presided over by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. The service traces its origins back to 1926 with the establishment of the Kalutara National Health Unit, recognized as the first field health unit in the South Asian region. Over the past century, the service has grown into an extensive network comprising over 362 Medical Officer of Health (MOH) divisions nationwide. The celebration also recognized 36 public health professional groups for their significant contributions to primary healthcare.