PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM OF SRI LANKA: Past, Present, and Future

Abstract

Sri Lanka has been recognized as a high-impact, low-cost health system among low-and middle-income countries, especially within the region. However, demographic shift, disease burden shift, shrinking fiscal space, and health workforce-related challenges have been looming large. The most recent debt crisis, which led to a public outcry in 2022, has marked a turning point in Sri Lanka, crippling the country's health system. Currently, the health system is facing workforce and essential medicines shortages, among other challenges, with the country needing to take urgent measures to address essential medicine and other shortages. Sri Lanka will also need to prioritize health system strengthening on policy and financing aspects.