In accordance with a decision made by the South East Asian Public Health Institutions Network (SEAPHEIN) was established in 2004, the Sri Lanka Chapter of the Network , LANKAPHEIN was inaugurated on the 22nd September 2008, during the Annual Academic Ses
sions of the College of Community Physicians of Sri Lanka. The first meeting of LANKAPHEIN was held on 03rd November 2008.
The meeting was chaired by Prof. A.R. Wick ramasinghe President, The College of Community Phy sicians of Sri Lanka and Prof. Dulitha Fernando focal point for Sri Lanka to the SEAPHEIN (South East Asia Public Health Education Institutes Network). Prof. Has bulla Thabrany, current Chairperson of SEAPHEIN and Dr. Agostinno Borra, Country Representative to Sri Lanka, World Health organization participated as the guests of honour. Invitees from medical faculties that conduct training programmes on public health, units of Ministry of health that provide training in public health and individuals who have made a significant contribu tion to public health education and training in the coun try were present at the meeting.
Prof. A.R. Wickramasinghe welcomed the gathering. Prof. Thabrany explained the aims, goals and activities of the SEAPHEIN. Dr. Agostinno Borra congratulated Sri Lanka for taking up the initiative to establish a pub
lic health education institutes‟ network and pledged the support of World Health Organization in the coming years. Prof. Dulitha Fernando, explained the history of SEAPHEIN and its activities and the objectives of the local networks to be established in the member coun
tries.
Prof. A.R. Wickramasinghe read out the Charter of LANKAPHEIN which was formally adopted. According to the charter the secretariat of LANKAPHEIN will function under the auspices of the College of Physicians in Sri Lanka for the initial three years and will be lo cated at the Pubic Health Lounge.
Vision
To be a collaborative network of Public Health Educa tion Institutes in Sri Lanka for strengthening Public Health capacity.
Mission
To promote collaboration for partnership of Sri Lankan member institutes to improve and sustain the quality and relevance of Public Health education to address the increasing challenges for the improvement of health in Sri Lanka.
