World Bank warns Sri Lanka of escalating health care costs if non-communicable diseases continue to rise

The World Bank warns Sri Lanka of escalating health care costs with the rising rates of non-communicable diseases (NCD) in the country if the lifestyles of people and the quality of healthcare did not improve.



The recently completed World Bank report on 'Prevention and Control of Selected Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases in Sri Lanka: Policy Options and Action' released at a conference held Monday at the Taj Samudra Hotel in Colombo provides important evidence and recommendations on this major issue.

In Sri Lanka, the demographic and epidemiologic transitions are now well underway and NCDs such as heart disease, diabetes, cancers, and asthma, as well as their risk factors such as obesity, smoking, high sugar and salt diets, and alcoholism are a major health issue affecting the population, the World Bank says.

The threat of rising NCDs has led the Sri Lankan government to take active measures and expand its available services through the curative sector and providing policy directions with the recently approved National Chronic NCD Policy.

"Improving lifestyle and reducing risk factors while concurrently improving the quality of health services will promote healthier aging and reduce the impact of NCDs on Sri Lanka's development," the report observed.

Diaretou Gaye, World Bank Country Director for Sri Lanka and the Maldives says Sri Lanka needs a healthy and productive population to sustain its transition to a Middle Income Co [...]