Health Minister Dr Nalinda Jayatissa has called for artificial intelligence and digital technology to be used to improve Sri Lanka’s healthcare system, in remarks to a United Nations regional ministerial conference in Bangkok.
The Daily Mirror reported that the Minister was representing Sri Lanka at the Fifth Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference (MC-5), which opened on 28 October at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok. The conference is jointly organised by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) and the Government of Thailand.
Dr Jayatissa was elected Vice-Chair of the conference.
What he argued for
He set out four uses for modern technology in health:
- Monitoring diseases
- Assessing health risks caused by climate change
- Improving disaster preparedness
- Expanding access to healthcare services
Addressing the conference, the Minister said global progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals had been slower than expected, and that AI and other digital technologies could help countries respond to climate-related health risks and deliver public health services more efficiently.
He also pressed the case for helping developing countries reach modern technology — particularly those short of resources and expertise — and called for stronger regional cooperation to share technology, exchange knowledge and build technical skills.
Sri Lanka was also represented by Dr Anil Jasinghe, Secretary to the Ministry of Health and Mass Media; Engineer (Dr) Sanath Panawana, a member of the Public Service Commission; and officials from the Sri Lankan Embassy in Thailand.
Not reported
The filing does not say what the Fifth Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference is convened on, how long it runs, or which other countries are represented. It gives no commitment, funding figure or programme on the Sri Lankan side — the Minister’s remarks are an argument for using AI in health, not an announcement that the Health Ministry will deploy it. Nothing is reported on what AI tools, if any, Sri Lanka’s health system currently uses, and the duties attaching to the vice-chairmanship are not described.
A note on sourcing. This account rests on the Daily Mirror alone; no other verified newsroom had filed on the Minister’s remarks at the time of writing. Ada Derana could not be checked, its CloudFront 403 now running to 47 consecutive days.
