Sri Lanka to set up Rs5.4-bn center for disease control

ECONOMYNEXT — Sri Lanka’s cabinet has approved a 5,431 million rupee project to establish a dedicated Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and upgrade national laboratory facilities, minister Nalinda Jayatissa said.

The proposal covers 35 identified activities under the Integrated One Health Pandemic Preparedness and Response Strengthening Project.

The work is funded through a 4,785 million rupee grant received from the Pandemic Fund alongside a 646 million rupee contribution from the Sri Lanka government, with the Asian Development Bank expected to fund the CDC’s establishment.

“Sri Lanka’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and other zoonotic health threats has revealed shortcomings and gaps in national response mechanisms across both the human and animal health sectors,” Jayatissa said.

Although Sri Lanka maintains a routine vaccination coverage rate exceeding 95 percent, an action plan running from 2026 to 2028 was prepared with international partners to address gaps, with all project work scheduled to conclude by March 31, 2028.

“Activities to address these gaps are proposed for implementation through the Pandemic Fund, and an action plan covering the 2026–2028 period has been formulated in collaboration with funding organizations.”

Responding to questions from journalists on whether the facility would be an entirely new institution, Jayatissa confirmed plans for a standalone centre.

“On land belonging to the Ministry of Health in Mulleriyawa, we intend to construct a building of approximately 7,200 square meters as this CDC,” he said.

Jayatissa added that the project will also modernize five existing pharmaceutical warehouses, upgrade the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) laboratory, and improve physical infrastructure at the Medical Research Institute’s National Public Health Reference Laboratory. (Colombo/Oct13/2026)