The people of Sri Lanka have struggled to overcome epic natural and man-made disasters. The Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2004 and more than two decades of civil conflict have left a permanent mark on the country. The damage to health care access has presented enormous challenges for the government. Since the end of civil conflict in 2009, the country has moved forward with an ambitious agenda to reconstruct its economy. Critical health issues:

• Restoring health care capacity and rebuilding infrastructure

Our Work

To help rebuild the health care system, AmeriCares has worked closely with Sri Lanka's Ministry of Health (MOH) to identify specific infrastructure needs and support rebuilding projects. We have continued regular deliveries of medical relief and humanitarian aid.

Since 1997, in addition to Tsunami relief and emergency aid, AmeriCares has delivered ongoing medical assistance to help to supplement pharmacy shortages and provide budget relief for health care providers.

On the morning of December 26, 2004, an earthquake off the coast of Indonesia, measuring 9.0 in the Richter scale, generated a tsunami that traveled 1,000 miles across the Indian Ocean. The tsunami killed 35,000 people in Sri Lanka and left 500,000 homeless. Read More »

Response:

Within days of the disaster, AmeriCares delivered back-to-back airlifts of medicines, supplies and water purification supplies focused on reducing the threat of infectious and water-borne disease.

Recovery:

AmeriCares relief workers identified water quality as a critical area of unmet need in the recovery stages and, in April 2005, launched a water purification program in collaboration with the National Water Supply and Drainage Board. As relief efforts transitioned to reconstruction, AmeriCares established a tsunami program office in the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo. Today we continue to oversee $16.9 million in reconstruction efforts in health, education, livelihoods and water and sanitation. Some of the completed projects include:

• 27 health care facilities constructed or rehabilitated including village health posts, public health centers and child care centers
• 178 health care facilities supplied with equipment, medicine and medical consumables including hospitals, clinics. (Read more about our 2004 Tsunami response)

In 2008, we also responded with emergency shipments to meet the critical health needs of people fleeing the violence in the civil war.

Health Infrastructure:

Many of the projects grew out of the massive response to the Tsunami of 2004 including the reconstruction, rehabilitation or upgrading of hospitals and health centers. Read More »

Disaster Preparedness:

helping our partners purchase and pre-position critical emergency supplies to help displaced families withing 72 hours of a disaster. Read More »

Mother and Child Health:

Sri Lanka is working hard to reduce infant mortality rates through a number of health care delivery and educational programs. Read More »

Communicable Disease:

Working with a Sri Lankan government agency to increase access to potable water and improved sanitation. Read More »

AmeriCares also donates medical products to qualified U.S. health care professionals who are traveling to Sri Lanka to provide charitable medical care. Through this program, donated medicines and medical supplies reach impoverished and isolated communities where even basic medical care is inaccessible to the poor or often non-existent. AmeriCares donations cure infections, relieve pain, help patients manage chronic diseases and make life-changing surgeries possible.

Find out more about our Medical Outreach program