Family Health/ Communicable and Non-Communicable disease epidemiology and prevention/ Health promotion/ Environment and occupational health

Responsibilities of the preventive Health Unit:

• Provincial focal agency responsible for reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, adolescent and youth health (RMNCAYH) programme in central province.
• Provides technical guidance for district health care systems in planning, implementing and monitoring the RMNCAYH programme.
• Evaluation of preventive Health activities
• Technical support for special events and activities (develop preventive health services in estates, Occupational health, prevention of water borne diseases.)
• Surveys and operational research
• Coordinate with technical units of the MOH and other departments to ensure implementation of projects.

The Medical Officer of Health (MOH) forms the critical frontline of the island's public health system, functioning as the operational hub for preventive and promotive healthcare within a defined geographical area known as a MOH area. The geographical demarcation in most MOH areas is similar to the Divisional Secretary areas. Currently, Public Health Services are provided through the 49 medical Officers of Health units in the Central Province. Its services are comprehensive, designed to cater to the community from womb to tomb. A cornerstone of its work is the RMNCYAH program, which provides antenatal and postnatal care, growth monitoring, immunizations, and nutritional advice, drastically reducing maternal and infant mortality. Curative and preventive dental health services are provided via community dental surgeons and school dental therapists. The MOH staff meticulously manages the Expanded Programme of Immunisation (EPI), ensuring vaccines reach every child through its network of public health midwives and field clinics, directly combating infectious diseases. In the realm of communicable disease control, the MOH office acts as the first line of surveillance and response, investigating outbreaks of diseases like dengue, leptospirosis, and tuberculosis, conducting vector control activities, and managing contact tracing and directly observed therapy for TB patients. Furthermore, it spearheads non-communicable disease (NCD) prevention by promoting healthy lifestyles. Environmental health is another vital mandate, with Public Health Inspectors attached to the office monitoring water quality, inspecting food establishments for hygiene, ensuring proper solid waste management, and regulating housing and sanitation standards. The staff also delivers school health services, adolescent health programs, occupational health initiatives, and plays a pivotal role in health education and promotion within the community. During emergencies and disasters, MOH is indispensable, coordinating public health responses, ensuring continuity of care, and preventing epidemics In essence, the MOH office integrates these multifaceted services directly within communities, translating national health policy into action and safeguarding population health through a holistic, preventive approach.

Maternal and Child Health

The Maternal and Child Health (MCH) program, which provides antenatal and postnatal care, growth monitoring, immunizations, and nutritional advice, drastically reduced maternal and infant mortality. Meticulously managed Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), ensuring vaccines reach every child through its network of public health midwives and field clinics, directly combating infectious diseases.

School Health

School health activities form a vital component of preventive public health. These programs focus on the holistic well-being of students through regular health screenings, including vision, hearing, and basic dental checks, alongside growth monitoring, nutritional assessments and enabling and empowering students to promote and monitor their own health. The MOH team administers routine immunizations such as adult Tetanus and Diphtheria vaccine and Human Papilloma Vaccine and provides essential deworming treatments within the school setting. Crucially, they deliver targeted health education on topics such as personal hygiene, nutrition, mental health, substance abuse prevention, and reproductive health. This proactive approach aims to detect health issues early, promote healthy lifestyles, and create a safer, more supportive school environment.
Well-women services
The provision of screening services to detect early signs of cancer (breast, cervical, oral) as well as non-communicable diseases like diabetes, hypertension, and obesity (as assessed through BMI) is done through well women clinics. These services are for women of reproductive age, mainly targeting 35 year and 45 year age cohorts.

Family Planning

Family planning services are delivered primarily by Public Health Midwives, Public Health Inspectors and MOH staff through home visits and field clinics, these services ensure universal access. They offer a comprehensive range of contraceptive choices, including oral pills, injectables, implants, intrauterine devices, and condoms, alongside expert counselling to support informed decision-making. The program integrates family planning with maternal and child health, adolescent health, and reproductive health education. This proactive, client-centered approach empowers individuals and couples to plan their families, thereby improving maternal and child health outcomes nationwide.

Oral health

Oral health services within Sri Lanka's public health sector are a vital preventive and curative component. These services, aimed at promoting good dental hygiene and addressing issues early, are delivered through a dedicated cadre of professionals. Community Dental Surgeons operate from MOH offices, providing screenings, health education, and essential treatments via clinic based and spot mobile clinics . Furthermore, Adolescent Dental Surgeons and School Dental Therapists are based directly within schools, offering routine screenings, preventive care like fluoride applications, oral health promotion, and basic treatments to students. This integrated, community-focused approach ensures accessible dental care from childhood through adulthood.

Environment Health
Occupational Health
Prevention and control of communicable diseases
Prevention and control of NCD
Active ageing
Mental Health well being
Health Promotion

01. STD HIV/AIDS Control Programme

Sri Lanka has committed to “end the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat by 2030” to harmonize with the 2030 agenda for achieving United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. This can be met by achieving the targets set by United Nations Joint Program for HIV/AIDS: 95% of people living with HIV knowing their HIV status; 95% of people who know their status on treatment; and 95%of people on treatment with suppressed viral load thereby reducing the likelihood of spreading the infection. It also includes the targets of reducing new infections, zero AIDS related deaths and zero discrimination.
There are three district STD clinics Kandy, Matale and Nuwara Eliya with a network of branch clinics to improve the accessibility of patients under the technical guidance of Consultant Venerologist. They continue the services under the strategies: prevention, diagnosis treatment and care services, management of information system, health system strengthening and supportive environment. Provincial HIV/AIDS steering committee is conducted biannually to coordinate, communicate and facilitate health institutions, district chest clinics and preventive sector to strengthen the activities carried out by each sector.

Regional Health Training Centre (RHTC) - Kadugannawa

The RHTC function as a training centre for conducting both basic and in-service training courses / programs. Prior to 1990 only PHMM basic training part II was conducted in Kadugannawa. Later it was upgraded as part of the strengthening of the basic services program in Sri Lanka

There are two main areas of services supported by the RHTC.

1. Training.
   • Basic training of primary health care personnel, namely Public Health Inspectors and Public Health Midwives.
   • Basic training for medical, dental and nursing students on community health.
   • Coordination of all the Provincial level in-service training for both preventive and curative health staff.
2. Provide primary health care services to the public through the field staff. 
   • This includes maternal and child health care (immunization, ante natal care, post natal care, well women clinic & family planning), environmental health, food sanitation, occupational health, estate health and school health etc. Special effort has been taken to improve the care provided as “model area” to facilitate the learning of all students.

Bio-Medical Engineering Services Unit

The repairing of all medical equipment prior to 2002 was carried out by the Bio- medical Engineering Services unit in Colombo (BES). There are 224 hospitals under the Central Provincial Health Department and it was impossible for the BES to take care of equipment repair and maintenance and large number of serviceable medical equipment were stocked in hospitals unable to be used due to minor repair. Medical equipment needing major repairs in secondary care hospitals were done by the BME unit on urgent requests. The Province did not have proper procedures for purchasing, condemning and maintenance of medical equipment. The Central Province Bio - Medical Engineering Services unit was established in November 2002 with the aim providing better coordinated support services within the Province to do equipment purchasing, maintenance and attend to minor repairs to medical equipment and to maximize the equipment usage time.

Major Functions of BME Unit- Central Province

• Repair of medical, surgical and other equipment in the health institutions within the   Central Province
• Provision of reports on equipment and other items to be condemned in health institutions
• Provision of technical guidance on purchasing of new equipment to health institutions.
• Provision of quality reports on newly purchased medical equipment.
• Distribution of newly purchased equipment to health institutions.
• Keeping inventory of medical equipment available at institutions.
• Training health staff on maintenance of medical equipment.

01. Patient Rehabilitation Services

Physical Rehabilitation Center, Digana

Due to lack of facilities and trained staff, the rehabilitation of physically disabled patients does not get adequate attention in the general health services. Most acute cases are managed in surgical and medical wards in general hospitals after which the patients may get discharged without any attention being paid to rehabilitation. Usually they end up as bed ridden or wheel chair dependant disabled citizens and are a burden to their family and society.  
According to the 1999 statistics of Teaching Hospital Kandy, for the 1st six month of 1999, 1100 patients who needed medium and long term rehabilitation were discharged without a proper rehabilitation plan.