• Health Min. pushes to take over programme from IOM 

A migrant health screening programme that is in place and is capable of generating revenue for Sri Lanka has yet to be taken over by the Government, despite the initial investment having been fully recovered by 2022, Deputy Health Minister Dr. Hansaka Wijemuni said. 

Fielding questions from The Daily Morning, Dr. Wijemuni said yesterday (23) that under the system implemented by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), migrants who remain in Sri Lanka for more than six months are required to undergo medical examinations to screen for diseases such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), tuberculosis and malaria. He said that the programme played a key role in preventing the entry and spread of infectious diseases through migrants. He explained that a dedicated facility to carry out these screenings was established in 2019, with the IOM undertaking the investment as the Sri Lankan Government at the time had lacked the necessary funds for setting up such an establishment. The organisation charges US $ 75 per person to conduct the required tests, which migrants must undergo every six months, he stressed. According to him, the initial investment made by the IOM had been fully recovered by 2022, at which point the Government was expected to take over the programme. Unfortunately however, the Health Ministry has yet to assume control, resulting in the loss of revenue to the State for over several years. He further pointed out that the Government already bore the cost of providing free treatment through the free health care system for migrants who test positive for diseases such as HIV. Dr. Wijemuni noted that factors such as the Covid-19 pandemic and the economic crisis may have contributed to the Ministry’s lethargy in reclaiming the programme. The matter still remains unresolved, with the Ministry extending the arrangement with the IOM to this year before planning to take over operations, he said. He further noted that Sri Lanka had the necessary facilities to operate the screening programme independently, although the country had failed to do so to date. An agreement is currently in place to allow the IOM to continue operating the facility until the end of 2026. However, he noted that if the Government assumed control this year, it would be in a position to manage the programme from 2027.