Estate and Urban Health Unit

මිහින්දුසෙන්පුර සහ සියපත් සෙවන , දෙමටගොඩ : නගර සුව නියමුවෝ
Urban Champions; Mihindusenpura and Siyapathsewana , Dematagoda- Training completed in14 Urban undetsettled flat complexes .Joint project with Estate and Urban Health Unit, Urban Development Authority and Colombo Municipal Council.
නාගරික නව මහල් නිවාස 14 ක නගර සුව නියමුවන් පුහුණුකර අවසන් වුනා.

Thank you Yan SL and ADIC team for your invaluable support in our youth health promotion and alcohol, to***co and other substances prevention programs conducted for Estate and Urban populations.

Breastfeeding corners (BFC)

BFC at Child Development Centers (CDC/ crèches’) in estates, play a crucial role in creating a supportive, inclusive, and healthy environment for both mothers and infants. They contribute to
the overall well-being of families and align with efforts to promote breastfeeding as a fundamental aspect of infant care.

Having a designated area encourages mothers to breastfeed regularly and on demand, supporting
the recommended feeding schedule for infants. The on-site breastfeeding corner can enhance her
satisfaction and productivity, enabling her to continue breastfeeding while at work.
The employer is also pleased to note an improvement in the attendance of the breastfeeding mother, who now consistently stays for longer durations at work. This positive change is attributed to a reduction in her stress levels, as her baby tends to experience fewer illnesses. The nurturing and
inclusive workplace culture further contribute to fostering a positive and supportive environment.

Estate & Urban Health unit, with the financial support of the World Bank, developed model
Breastfeeding Corners (model BFCs) at sixty (60) CDC in Nuwara Eliya, Badulla and Ratnapura

districts. The list of items identified for a model BFC is as follows:

1. Two arm chairs

2. Two foot stools

3. Teapoy

4. Portable stainless steel sink with tap

5. Ready-made cloth curtain (width 90 inches, drop 72 inches)

6. Plastic name board (18 inches x 24 inches)

නගර සුව නියමුවෝ.
සිරිසර උයන, මෙත්සර උයන මහල් නිවාසයන්.
Urban Champions, Sirisara Uyana, Methsara Uyana, flat complexes.
Joint program with Estate and Urban health unit, Ministry of Health, Urban Development Authority and Colombo Municipal Council .

නගර සුව නියමුවෝ , කොලොන්නාව, ලක්සද සෙවන සහ සන්හිද සෙවන .
Urban Champions, Kolonnawa Laksanda Sewana and Sanhinda Sewana. Partners: Estate and Urban Health unit, Ministry of Health, Urban Development Authority, Kolonnawa MOH and Kolonnawa Urban Council.

Advocacy meeting on Estate Health communication platform development - 15th September 2023



Preventive and curative healthcare provision for the estate sector in Sri Lanka is carried out by the Ministry of Health. However, plantation companies still provide basic curative care services through health workers recruited by the companies for their worker population. Furthermore, lack of effective communication and understanding of the preventive health sector and the plantation management adversely affect the healthcare provision to the already deprived estate population. The Directorate of Estate and Urban Health (E&UH), which is the focal point for estate health in Sri Lanka, does not have a designated person in the regions to communicate problems relevant to estate community directly to the unit. Therefore, the development of a communication platform between the filed level preventive sector staff and the estate management, for mutual understanding and transparency of activities, would enable efficient conduct of health promotion activities for the estate community.

The Estate Health Communication Platform consists of six to ten members working at field level. Members of EHV are as follows:

Permanent members -
1. Estate Manager permanent Co-heads in

2. Medical Officer of Health in the area – permanent

(Estate Manager and MOH in the area are Co- heads in organizing meetings)

3. Divisional Medical Officer/ Medical Officer In Charge

4. Supervising Public Health Inspector - permanent

5. Supervising Public Health Midwife - permanent

6. Public Health Nursing Sister

7. Public Health Nursing Officer

Optional intermittent members (depending on the situation and connections with the MOH and Estate Manager) -
1. Police
2. Principal of an estate school
3. Divisional Secretary (DS)
4. Plantation Community Communication Facilitator (DS office)
5. Officer from PHDT

The team needs to meet regularly, ideally monthly, to discuss health related issues relevant to the estate population under care (a feasible time, place and mode of meeting to be decided by MOH and Estate Manager). The team should identify problems in the relevant estate population and develop low cost or free solutions. The meetings will be technically supported by the E&UH unit as and when necessary. The team is responsible for conducting health promotion activities for the estate population.

Estate and Urban Health Unit has supported the development of 62 communication platforms in 11 districts with Estate population.

Our unit conducted an advocacy meeting with relevant stakeholders to re-vamp the communication platforms on 15th September 2023.

Urban Champion reestablished, Mihijaya Sewana, Helamuthu sewana, Methsandha Sewana flat complexes.
නගර සුව නියමුවෝ. මිහිජය සෙවන , හෙලමුතු උයන , මෙත්සද සෙවන.
A program conducted with the coordination of Estate and Urban health unit of the ministry of health, Urban Development Authority and Colombo Municipal Counsil.

Health related survey among the estate sector community in Sri Lanka.

Plantation sector is an important contributor to GNP and therefore the health and wellbeing of these populations are an urgent need of the country. Knowledge, attitudes and practices relevant to general health in the estate sector families seem to be poor, with many beliefs and unwholesome practices.

It was revealed that the data relevant to pregnant & lactating mothers, under five children, school children (5 to 18 year age group), elderly, disabled and 18 to 59 year old groups among the estate sector population were under represented. Therefore, proxy values were used to identify problems. Availability of accurate knowledge a dire need to carry out targeted interventions and to improve the nutritional status of the vulnerable estate sector community.

Therefore we have planned to conduct a survey in collaboration with WHO to assess the prevalence of selected factors and determinants of nutrition in different age groups among the estate sector community in Sri Lanka, to identify prevalent health issues (and selected disabilities) among the estate sector community in Sri Lanka, to explore healthcare access and utilization patterns among the estate sector community in Sri Lanka and to gather data on social determinants of health affecting estate community in Sri Lanka.

These data can be utilized in the development of guidelines and implementation supported to streamline nutrition related services including informal food sector. Therefore, the service providers will be more knowledgeable in identifying the problems related to nutritional status of the estate sector community to conduct targeted interventions.

We expect the information gathered will be shared with rest of the public health community working in the estate sector as well as with other stakeholder non-participants during their monthly meetings.

Estate and Urban health Unit conducted two consultative meetings on 28th 0f July 2023 and 26th of September 2023 with relevant health and non-health stakeholders as an initiation of this project.

Capacity building programmes for estate sector youth groups

Estate and Urban Health Unit conducted capacity building programmes selected estate sector youth groups expecting them to be more empowered and confident in their abilities to take up leadership roles and contribute positively to their communities.

Youth health promotion programmes were held in Nuwara Eliya district in three divisional Secretariat areas, Walapane, Nuwara Eliya and Ambagamuwa, conducted in collaboration with Medical Officers of Health (MOOH) Ragala, Kotagala and Bogawanthalawa, respectively. Youth participants in each MOOH area were gathered with the support of the relevant Youth Service Officer/s (YSOs) attached to the Divisional Secretariat along with PHMM/ PHII in the MOH area. Also, good inter-sectoral collaboration was seen in the conduct of the three programmes.

Youth health programme review was conducted after three months from the three programmes. It was conducted with the participation of ten selected participants from each programme along with YSOs, programme officers at Regional Director of Health Services Nuwara Eliya and Medical Officers of Health and field health staff of the three MOH offices. All selected youth participants were given certificates of excellence and among them nine (three from each Division) were selected and presented with certificates of outstanding performance.

Special training on legal background for MOOH serving for urban areas.
Estate and urban health unit, ministry of health, as the focal point for urban health, coordinated the program. Resources: Dr Charirh Hettiarachchi, CCP attached to RD office, Kalutara and Mr Chandana Mannapperuma Commissioner, MC Dehiwala Mt Lavinia.

The capacity building programmes for Praja Shakthi Officers and Plantation Community Communication Facilitators (PCCF)



In addition to plantation health workers, two capacity building programmes on prevention of alcohol to***co and other substances was conducted for non-health plantation workers, Praja Shakthi Officers (PSO) and Plantation Community Communication Facilitators (PCCF), working under the New Village Development Authority. They were considered, as they work closely with estate sector communities, especially with adolescent and youth groups. These two groups supported the health sector immensely during the COVID period, and at present, willingly support any health initiative. Therefore, improving the capacity of PSO and PCCF will help to raise awareness of the estate community.