Sri Lanka has signed a loan agreement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to obtain USD 100 million for the development of the country’s health sector, the Ministry of Finance announced this week.
The funding, provided through the ADB’s Ordinary Capital Resources window, is aimed at supporting the National Strategic Framework for the Development of Health Services, with a focus on enhancing the efficiency and quality of secondary health services — the key component of first referral care within the country’s drive toward universal health coverage.
Sri Lanka will also receive an externally financed grant of USD 6.9 million from the Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response Trust Fund, further strengthening the country’s capacity to manage public health emergencies.
The program will target three core areas:
Enhancing first referral care services to improve access to quality secondary healthcare;
Boosting pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response mechanisms;
Improving technical capacity within the health sector and strengthening pharmaceutical supply chain management.
The agreement was signed by Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development Harshana Suriyapperuma and Country Director for the ADB Takafumi Kadono.