WB praises Sri Lankan health service

2018-02-24 

The World Bank (WB) praised the public health service in Sri Lanka by saying that there are few if any other low or middle-income countries that have public health service like in Sri Lanka, simultaneously achieved strong health outcomes, good financial protection and low cost.

In a publication on universal health care study series titled ‘Sri Lanka: Achieving Pro-Poor Universal Health Coverage without Health Financing Reforms,’ says that many countries are lauded for achieving two out of three, but few can claim to have done as well as Sri Lanka on all fronts, especially considering that it is still classified as a lower-middle income country.

“Sri Lanka’s health system has a long track record of strong performance. For at least 50 years it has achieved much better outcomes in maternal and child health and infectious disease control than would have been predicted by its income level. Health financing indicators also indicate that the health system is both pro-poor and efficient,” it said.