The World Health Organization (WHO) has awarded Sri Lanka a $17 million grant for its proposal, “One Vision, One Shield,” aimed at strengthening pandemic preparedness and response.

This proposal was developed with the support of five key implementing agencies: the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the World Bank (WB), the World Health Organization (WHO), and UNICEF, in collaboration with One Health stakeholders in Sri Lanka.

The grant will be distributed over a three-year period starting in January 2025.

It aims to implement the recommendations from Sri Lanka’s most recent Joint External Evaluation and the subsequent National Action Plan for Health Security. The focus areas include enhancing surveillance, laboratory capacities, and the health workforce.

In addition to this grant, Sri Lanka is also a beneficiary of a multi-country proposal submitted for the WHO South-East Asia region.

The second round of the Pandemic Fund grant allocations, announced on October 18, 2024, aims to bolster pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response capacities in 40 countries across six geographical regions.

To date, the two rounds of funding total $885 million, mobilizing an additional $6 billion in support of 75 countries, half of which are low- and middle-income countries.

For the first time in Sri Lanka, the government is to establish a mechanism to supervise and advice ministries in the implementation of policies, a source said.

A tense situation was reported at the UNP party headquarters in Sirikotha when a group of UNP supporters arrived to hand over a document on reviving the party.

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Harsha de Silva said today that an NPP MP has told him that the Parliament canteen will not be closed but the government will see that no one will abuse the facility.

Two fishermen were seriously injured and hospitalised after a parcel floating on the sea exploded while they were checking it off the coast of Mannar.

The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) and the Examinations Department have initiated a joint programme to mitigate potential disasters during the 2024 Advanced Level examinations.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake addressed the inaugural session of the 10th Parliament of Sri Lanka today. Following are 11 key points from the President’s Government Policy Statement;

Speaker Dr. Ashoka Sapumal Ranwala informed Parliament that nomination of Sajith Premadasa, leader of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), has been accepted as the Opposition Leader of the 10th Parliament of Sri Lanka.

Jaffna District Independent MP Archuuna Ramanathan refused to move away after he sat on the Opposition Leader's seat inside the chambers despite requests by Parliament staff to move.

National People's Power (NPP) Gampaha MP Dr. Ashoka Sapumal Ranwala was elected as the Speaker of the 10th Parliament of Sri Lanka a short while ago. Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya proposed his name, and the nomination was confirmed by Vijitha Herath.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake adjourned the Sri Lankan Parliament until 9:30 a.m. on December 3. The adjournment followed the President’s delivery of the government’s policy statement during the inaugural session of the 10th Parliament earlier today.