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.
02.Tuberculosis an dchest disease control Campaign
Sri Lanka is a signatory to the declarations to achieve the 2035 targets of the End TB Strategy, reducing TB deaths by 95%, reducing incidence of new cases by 90% by 2035, compared to 2015 levels, while eliminating catastrophic costs for TB-affected families.
District Chest Clinics in Kandy, Matale and Nuwara Eliya supported by National Hospital, Kandy, District general hospitals, Matale and Nuwara Eliya carry out TB diagnosis, treatment, follow up and control functions in the field as well as the follow up of other chest conditions. District Chest Clinics are equipped with X-ray facilities, microscopy, bacteriology and other laboratory facilities. Identified divisional hospitals have microscopy facilities and branch clinics to improve the service availability and accessibility. The program is further supported by the dedicated National Hospital for Respiratory Diseases (NHRD) at Welisara. When a TB patient is diagnosed in a hospital, he or she and their contacts will be referred to the district chest clinic for treatment and follow up.
03. Rabies Control activities
Rabies Control Program, a successful national initiative since the 1990s, aims to eliminate human rabies through mass dog vaccination, sterilization, public awareness, and free post-exposure treatment (PEP) for bite victims, focusing on a "One Health" approach to control animal reservoirs, especially dogs and protect the public.
Each Regional Directorate of Health services, Kandy, Matale and Nuwara Eliya have identified unit for rabies control activities under the technical supervision of Regional Epidemiologist and Consultant Community Physician. Mass dog vaccination, public awareness sessions are conducted by the rabies control PHI and team in identified centers at MOH level. Identified divisional hospitals and all the base hospitals and above level institutions have the facility of post exposure prophylaxis.
04. Malaria Control Programme.
Malaria was endemic in Sri Lanka for many centuries and several major epidemics have been historically experienced in Sri Lanka. The most devastating of these was in 1934–1935 during which time approximately 1.5 million individuals contracted the disease and 80,000 deaths due to malaria were reported affecting even traditionally non-malarious areas in the wet and intermediate zones of the country. There have also been epidemics of malaria recorded in 1967-69, 1986-87 and in 1990-92. For many centuries, malaria was traditionally prevalent in the dry zone of the country in the plains, North and East of the central mountains and stretching from the South-East to the North-West of the island. Due to hard work of many, there are no indigenous case of malaria reported since November 2012. Sri Lanka was certified as malaria-free in September 2016 by the WHO. During post elimination phase, country works under the main strategies of parasitological and entomological surveillance, comprehensive case management and strengthening outbreak preparedness, prevention and response.
Regional Malaria offices in Kandy and Matale continue their routine activities to intensify field and hospital-based surveillance, provide prophylaxis for persons travelling to malaria endemic regions, continue screening for risk population, health education and community awareness programs.
