Sri Lanka maintained a satisfactory healthcare system in the conflict areas even during the height of the war due to the dedication and commitment of our medical doctors and supporting staff,’ Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena said.

Minister Sirisena was addressing a World Conference on Social Determinants of Health held at Rio de Janeiro in Brazil last week. The minister observed that the statistics published by WHO in 2010 showed that mortality rates of children under five in high income countries are very much less than in lower income countries. He also noted that the life expectancy at birth in Sri Lanka has increased to 76.4 years and the infant mortality rate has been reduced to 12 per 1000 live births.

He observed that this is a satisfactory condition for a developing country like Sri Lanka.
He also pointed out the importance of equal distribution of health facilities across the world.

The Minister observed that there are significant differences in health indices among developed and developing nations.

He also observed that the life expectancy at birth in the US is 88 years whereas this rate is 51 years in Somalia.

“Similar imbalances can be observed within the same country among those living in urban or rural areas, and within different racial, cultural and tribal groups. Although we may not be able to wipe out these disparities within a year or a decade, we have to find solutions to curtail these inequalities as much as possible,” he noted.