Health and Mass Media Minister Nalinda Jayatissa attended the World Health Day 2026 commemorations in New Delhi as the chief guest, in his capacity as Chair of the Regional Committee for South-East Asia of the World Health Organization.
The event was jointly organised by the WHO South-East Asia Regional Office and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare under the theme “Together for Health: Stand with Science.”
Addressing the gathering, Minister Jayatissa highlighted the importance of the “One Health” approach, which recognises the close links between human, animal and environmental health.
During the ceremony, he launched the Banyan Framework for Health and Well-Being 2026–2028, along with the WHO Regional Director’s Annual Report for 2025. He noted that the new framework is in line with Sri Lanka’s upcoming national health policies aimed at building a more resilient healthcare system.
On the sidelines of the event, the minister also held discussions on regional health challenges and scientific cooperation with senior officials, including Punya Salila Srivastava and Catharina Boehme.
