Our Role

Provision of occupational safety and health to workers in Sri Lanka needs a concerted effort of multiple stakeholders. The Ministry of Health is considered a very important stakeholder in the provision of occupational health services. Curative, rehabilitative, preventive and promotive occupational health services are provided by the Ministry of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine.

The Occupational Health Unit of the Environmental and Occupational Health Directorate is the focal point for Occupational Health in the Ministry of Health in Sri Lanka. The unit is responsible for planning, co-ordination, monitoring and evaluation of occupational health services in the National Occupational Health Programme. Additionally, the unit liaises with other important stakeholders such as the Ministry of Labour and Trade Union Relations, Ministry of Environment and Central Environmental Authority in implementing the National Occupational Health Programme of the Ministry of Health.

All workers in Sri Lanka have access to free health services at the curative, rehabilitative as well as preventive health sectors. Treatment of occupational diseases and injuries and rehabilitation of occupational injuries are integrated into the existing curative health system. Occupational medical problems are taken care of by the medical units, occupational surgical problems by the surgical units and rehabilitation by the physiotherapy and rehabilitation units. Occupational accidents affecting significant number of workers and surrounding communities are considered as disasters and curative sector response is carried out immediately.

The implementation of occupational health activities in the preventive health sector are done mainly through the Provincial and District level Health Services which comprise of a wide range of MOH offices. The Medical Officers of Health (MOOH) and the Public Health Inspectors (PHII) carry out occupational health activities at the grass root level. Environmental and occupational health units have been set up at district level to better facilitate the implementation of the National Occupational Health Programme and to strengthen the coordination between the Directorate of the Environmental and Occupational Health and the grass root level.

Functions of the Unit

• Advocacy on issues related to occupational health and related environmental health issues
• Provision of guidance and technical expertise to the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Environment, Central Environmental Authority and other relevant ministries for formulation/revision of policies, on occupational health and related environmental health aspects
• Develop policies and strategies on occupational health
• Designing / Planning of National Occupational Health Programme of the Ministry of Health
• Liaise with intra sectoral and inter sectoral stakeholders in designing the occupational health programme
• Provision of necessary direction, guidance, coordination and support to peripheral staff for implementation of the National Occupational Health Programme of the Ministry of Health
• Develop guidelines, standards and protocols on occupational health
• Capacity building of staff on occupational health, basic training, in service, graduate and post graduate
• Networking and partnership building with stake holders and programme implementers
• Developing programme specific education and training material/IEC
• Provision of technical expertise to develop and revise curricula of basic and in service training of relevant health staff on occupational health
• Implementing donor funded projects on occupational health
• Monitoring and Evaluation of Occupational Health Services at all levels
• Conducting and coordinating operational research related to occupational health
• Identification of best practices, pilot testing and integration into the occupational health programme
• Procurement and distribution of equipments necessary for the occupational health programme
• Convene national steering committee on occupational health (chaired by Secretary / DDG)