Colombo, 01 August - A five-day regional training program on International Health Regulation (IHR) capacities at airports, ports, and onboard conveyances commenced on 29 July. This training, involving officials from Sri Lanka and the Maldives, is organized by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) under the Project for Strengthening the Capacity of Border Control for Responding to Infectious Diseases in Southwest Asia, funded by the Government of Japan. Technical assistance for the training was extended by the World Health Organization (WHO) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health-Sri Lanka.

Points of entry (PoEs) are at the forefront in prevention, detection, and responding to public health emergencies. International travel and trade, while providing opportunities for growth and development of national economies, pose significant risk in the spread of infectious diseases. The outbreak and spread of the COVID-19 pandemic which paralyzed the entire world is the most recent public health emergency that emphasized the growing need to focus on health risks spreading across borders via PoEs.

Joining the event, Dr. P.G. Mahipala, Secretary to the Ministry of Health said, “…the training on IHR capacities at airports, ports, and onboard conveyances conducted through this project is both timely and beneficial. The Ministry of Health of Sri Lanka extends its deep gratitude to the Government and People of Japan for their unwavering support and commitment to strengthening Sri Lanka's resilience against the spread of infectious diseases across international borders.”

International Health Regulations (IHR) (2005) of the WHO requires “States Parties utilize existing national structures and resources to meet their core capacity requirements at PoE to mitigate the health risk at PoE”.  This training program provides an overview of the legal requirements of the IHR (2005) at POEs including training on core capacities required to prevent, detect, assess and adequately respond to public health events at designated POEs, and raise awareness on assessment tools available to facilitate independent evaluations.

Speaking at the opening of the training, the Ambassador from Japan to Sri Lanka H.E. Mizukoshi Hideaki said, “As we move beyond the pandemic, Japan remains committed to supporting countries’ preparedness for future health emergencies. I am confident that this training will be enriching for all participants. We hope that the knowledge and skills gained here will significantly enhance public health capacities in Sri Lanka and the Maldives, ensuring a safer and more prosperous future for all.”

Commenting on the program, Dr. Simeonette De Asis – Acting Chief of Mission of the International Organization for Migration said that, “IOM is pleased to facilitate trainings of this nature that improve the resilience of Points of Entry in Sri Lanka and the Maldives. We are thankful to the Government of Japan, the WHO, and the MoH Sri Lanka for their abiding support, technical expertise, and spirit of collaboration.”

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For more information, please contact Mr. Shantha Kulasekara, Senior Programme Manager, IOM Sri Lanka & the Maldives, at Email: skulasekara@iom.int, iomcolombo@iom.int  ; Tel: +94 11 532 53 00.