State Minister appointed for Infectious Diseases and COVID-19 prevention

Dr. Sudarshani Fernandopulle has taken oaths as the State Minister for Primary Health Services, Infectious Diseases, and COVID-19 prevention.

Fernandopulle has sworn in to her new state ministry before President Gotabaya Rajapaksa a short while ago, President’s Media Division stated.  

State Ministry for Primary Health Services, Pandemics and COVID-19 Prevention is a new portfolio.

Promoting and maintaining the highest standards of primary health care is one of the main objectives of the ‘Saubhagyaye Dekma’ Policy Statement.  The President is of the view that the development and expansion of primary health care services is vital to ensure a high level of health care for the people, especially in rural areas, the PMD said.

With the spread of COVID-19, the President decided that a policy and a practical mechanism should be put in place to preemptively identify and control the spread of pandemics. The new Ministry was created to meet this goal.

Fernandopulle was previously the State Minister of Prison Reforms and Prisoners Rehabilitation.