The 79th World Health Assembly will commence in Geneva on May 16 and continue for seven days until May 22.
During the summit, Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa is expected to participate in several parallel sessions and is also scheduled to address the main assembly on May 18.
On the sidelines of the assembly, the Minister will hold bilateral discussions with health ministers from several countries, including Bhutan, Thailand, and Bangladesh, as well as with several international organizations, including the Nippon Foundation.
The Sri Lankan delegation also includes Secretary to the Ministry of Health and Mass Media Dr. Anil Jasinghe, Deputy Directors General Dr. S. Sreedharan and Dr. Samiddhi Samarakoon, Director of Planning Dr. Janaki Widana Pathirana, and Director of Medical Services Dr. Ayanthi Karunaratne.
In October 2025, during the 78th Regional Committee Meeting of the World Health Organization’s South-East Asia Region, Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa was appointed Chair of the regional conference representing South and South-East Asian countries.
Accordingly, he will represent Sri Lanka at the 79th World Health Assembly both as the country’s Minister of Health and Mass Media and as Chair of the regional committee for South and South-East Asia.
