The new State Minister was sworn in before President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday evening (30).

State Ministry for Primary Health Services, Pandemics and COVID 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. 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.

With the spread of COVID-19 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.

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