Sri Lanka’s success in addressing reproductive health needs can be attributed to the right set of policies and investments in health over the past few decades. This has been complemented by a free health care and education system. Despite the successes, the health system needs improvements in ensuring universal access to reproductive health care and rights. The key reproductive health policies are highlighted below:
Policies
on
Reproductive
Health
The National Health Policy (1996) adopted by the Ministry of Health in 1996, offers the general policy framework for the development and delivery of public health programmes and services in Sri Lanka.
The Population and Reproductive Health Policy (1998) is regarded as the key policy on reproductive health in Sri Lanka. This is the main outcome of Sri Lanka’s adoption of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development of 1994.
National Maternal and Child Health Policy (2013) was formulated in response to the evolving changes in priority and the new challenges on the maternal, child and the adolescent health. Accordingly this policy emphasized not only broader concepts relating to maternal, newborn, infant and child care but also those relating to pre pregnancy care, care of older children including adolescents and children who need special care. Family planning has been identified as an integral component of the MCH services while certain MCH related health issues such as STD/HIV/AIDS, gender and women’s health also have been incorporated appropriately in the policy document. The MCH policy is attempting to establish the sense of accountability in all service providers in the health care delivery system from the central level to the grass-root level.
What is the
Unfinished
Agenda?
- There are indicators that Sri Lanka still needs to accomplish
at national level
- There are regional and economic disparities in already
achieved indicators at the national level
- Some indicators are stagnating over the years
- Despite free reproductive health services and high literacy
rate for women, the existence of poor performing indicators
such as the use of modern methods of contraceptive
suggests that social, cultural and behavioural factors
need to be addressed
- There are disparities in the quality of care in the delivery of reproductive health services, thereby leading to disparities in health outcomes
The unfinished agenda reflects inequities in Sri Lanka’s development process despite emerging as a lower middle income country. The graph and table below illustrate the regional variations and economic disparities in accessing reproductive health services
- Addressing the gaps of existing policies
- Integrating the rights perspective into policies related to reproductive health
- Implementing the recommendations of the National Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care Needs Assessment
- Developing standards and protocols on quality of care in reproductive health service delivery
