Sri Lanka seeks stronger BIMSTEC health cooperation

Health and Mass Media Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa met with a high-level delegation from BIMSTEC member states at the Hilton Hotel in Colombo.

During the meeting, the Minister and the delegation, including the BIMSTEC Secretary-General, engaged in a cordial exchange of views.

Discussions focused on the functioning of health service systems in member states, the sharing of experiences and knowledge in the health sector, and opportunities to further expand regional cooperation in healthcare.

Deputy Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment Minister Arun Hemachandra held discussions with senior health officials from BIMSTEC member states on strengthening regional cooperation in public health.

Hemachandra received a collective courtesy call from the delegation yesterday at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Colombo.

The delegation, led by Health and Mass Media Ministry Secretary Dr. Anil Jasinghe, included senior health officials from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Thailand.

The meeting was held on the sidelines of the inaugural BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting on Health in Colombo, the Foreign Ministry said.

Discussions focused on sharing expertise and resources, strengthening institutional capacity and improving regional preparedness for future health emergencies.

Hemachandra highlighted Sri Lanka’s role as a founding member of BIMSTEC and its leadership in science, technology and innovation.

He reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s commitment to regional cooperation through initiatives including the BIMSTEC Technology Transfer Facility in Colombo and the proposed BIMSTEC Centre of Excellence on Public Health.

BIMSTEC Secretary General Ambassador Indra Mani Pandey and officials from the BIMSTEC Secretariat and Foreign Ministry also attended the meeting.