Sri Lanka’s National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS) 2024–2028 is a five-year roadmap for strengthening the country’s ability to prevent, detect and respond rapidly to health emergencies, while improving overall resilience. It is designed to strengthen implementation of the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005) and incorporates lessons from COVID-19 as well as recommendations from major assessments conducted in 2023. The plan adopts an all-hazards, whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach and places particular emphasis on collaboration between human health, animal health, agriculture and environmental sectors under a One Health approach. The plan responds to gaps identified in Sri Lanka’s existing health-security capacities as well as emerging threats and vulnerabilities. Although the country has made progress in areas such as immunisation, surveillance and emergency response, the NAPHS recognises the need for stronger preparedness systems, sustainable financing, adequate human resources, improved laboratory capacity and greater multisectoral coordination. Economic constraints, limits on government recruitment, staff turnover and competing institutional priorities are identified as important challenges to implementation. The plan therefore prioritises activities according to risk and capacity gaps, linking national and provincial action more closely with health facilities, frontline personnel and communities. The NAPHS sets out strategic actions across 19 technical areas, organised under four categories: 1. Prevent; 2. Detect; 3. Respond; and 4. IHR-related hazards and border-health functions. Prevention priorities include legal instruments, financing, IHR coordination, antimicrobial resistance, zoonotic diseases, food safety, biosafety and biosecurity, and immunisation. Detection focuses on laboratory systems, surveillance and human resources, while Response covers health-emergency management, coordination between public-health and security authorities, health-service provision, infection prevention and control, and risk communication and community engagement. Further strategies address points of entry and border health, chemical events and radiation emergencies. Cross-cutting priorities include stronger legislation and financing, workforce development, digital technology and innovation, public-private partnerships, better multisectoral coordination, and evidence-based monitoring and adaptation.
سري لانكا · 2024-01-01