Minister of Health and Media Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa underscored the need to incorporate sports and exercise as a form of medicine in disease prevention. He made the remarks while inaugurating the Sports and Exercise Medicine Unit at Karapitiya National Hospital.
Dr. Jayatissa said the government spent approximately Rs. 7.3 billion last year on diabetes-related medications, including insulin, and that the cost continues to rise. Instead of relying solely on Treasury funds for medicine, he emphasized the need for greater focus on prevention.
He noted that healthcare should extend beyond medication, stressing the role of sports and exercise in both treatment and prevention. He also called for increased intervention to protect the health of school athletes and sports professionals.
The minister said sports and exercise should be integrated into healthcare services, with the Ministry of Health expanding its role in this area. While Sri Lanka has issued sports fitness certificates since 2015, he pointed out that there is a lack of direct assessment of athletes’ health on the field.
Sri Lanka currently has 16 sports medicine units, but some provinces still lack such facilities, he said.
Following the inauguration, the minister unveiled a photo gallery featuring national and international athletes, including Sri Lankan badminton champion Niluka Karunaratne and Commonwealth Games medalist Nethmi Ahinsa, who were present for the event. (NewsWire)