Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya participated as the Chief Guest at the inauguration of the international conference “Nourishing South Asia”, held from July 9 to 11 at Cinnamon Lakeside, Colombo, with the central aim of reducing anemia among young women and children across South Asia.
Delivering the keynote address, the Prime Minister emphasized the importance of regional cooperation and multi-sectoral commitment to address what she described as a “solvable but urgent” public health challenge.
“The goal of this conference is to build a South Asia where no adolescent girl or woman suffers from preventable anemia. Achieving that requires more than government intervention — it calls for a united effort from every sector of society,” she said.
Dr. Amarasuriya stressed the need to ensure that every girl has access to nutritious food, proper health education, and quality care, while also fostering an environment that enables women to realise their full potential.
She reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s governmental commitment, citing the country’s school nutrition programme as a key initiative designed to protect children from malnutrition and improve overall public health outcomes.
“Anemia among adolescent girls and women is a serious concern. But it is not insurmountable. Through renewed commitment, regional cooperation, and collective action, we can nourish future generations and break the cycle of undernutrition,” she added.
Concluding her remarks, the Prime Minister called on all participating nations to unite under a shared regional visionand pledged Sri Lanka’s continued support in building a healthier and more equitable South Asia.
“By nurturing our women and young girls, we can nourish the entire South Asian region,” she declared.
The event, organised with participation from key regional and international stakeholders, saw the presence of Md. Golam Sarwar representing SAARC, Sanjay Wijesekera of UNICEF, and several high-level delegates. The Prime Minister was formally welcomed by noted moderator and media professional Rini Simon Khanna.
The three-day conference is expected to yield practical commitments and collaborative strategies to combat anemia, and foster long-term investments in women’s and children’s health across South Asia.
