The Family Health Bureau is the centre for excellence for the Maternal and Child Health in Sri Lanka which was established in 1968 within the Ministry of Health to implement the MCH programme throughout the country.  This was initially designated the Maternal and Child Health Bureau and was later re-designated the “Family Health Bureau”.

Maternal health, child health and family planning form an important component of the prevailing health care system of Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka. The services are provided through the well developed infrastructure of the Ministry of Health and Provincial Health services which comprises a wide network of medical institutions and Medical officers of Health areas.
 
  Provision of basic health care is one of the prime responsibilities of the government with Maternal and Child Health constituting an important component of the health care system. An organised effort to provide maternal and child health services commenced with the introduction of the Health Unit System in 1926, Kalutara being the 1st health unit established with a Medical Officer of Health in charge.

In 1965 Government accepted family planning as a national policy and it was integrated with the already developed maternal and child health services provided by the Ministry of Health.

Considering its national importance a separate division was established in 1968 within the Ministry of health to implement the programme throughout the country. This was initially designated the Maternal and Child Health Bureau and was later re-designated the “Family Health Bureau” with an Assistant Director Maternal and Child Health as the head. The post of Assistant Director was upgraded to Director Maternal and Child Health in 1986.

The first Director appointed was Dr Terence Perera (January 1968-December1970)." Since then the following successors had lead" the institution to its present thriving status.

 

Dr S.Y.S.B. Heart
( May 1971- February 1979 )

 Dr R.A.S.Rabel
( March 1979- July 1981 )		 Dr N.W.Vidyasagara
( August 1981–October 1986 )
 

 

Dr Malani de Silva
( November 1986 – October 1994 )

Dr .K.P.Wickramasooriya
( November 1994 - April 1998 )

Dr (Ms) Vineetha Karunaratne
( 1999 March - July 2008 )
       
  Ensuring a satisfactory level of health of its population is a major concern state, Hence timely amendments of its health strategies according to the newer health concepts have been done. Primary Health Care approach received a greater impetus after Sri Lanka became a signatory to the Health Charter of 1980, committing herself to the accomplishment of “Health for All” by the year 2000. Family Health Services constitute an important component of the Primary Health Care service strategy adopted by the Government of Sri Lanka.

The Government revised the population policy in September 1991 which states the necessity to reach replacement level fertility; an average of two children per woman in the reproductive age, at least by the year 2000, which would result in a stable population by the middle of the next century.

Mean while the International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo in 1994 has introduced the concept of eproductive health extending a life cycle approach to family health. The Family Health Bureau plays the leadings role in the implementation of the reproductive health programme in close collaboration with other national programmes.

With the introduction of the Reproductive Health concept, a Population and Reproductive Health policy was formulated which was approved by the National Cabinet of Ministers in August 1998. It aims at achieving a higher quality of life for its people by providing quality reproductive health information and services, achieving gender equality, providing health care and social support for the elderly, promoting the economic benefits of migration and urbanization while controlling their adverse social and health effects and reaching a stable population size in the long term. In the context of these policies and the earnest desire to accomplish higher standards of living and acceptable levels of health: maternal health, child health, family planning and other women's health issues have received considerable emphasis.
 
 
 
     
 

Maternal and Newborn health Child health
Family Planning Women’s health
       
 

 
Advocacy on issues related to Maternal and Child Health (MCH).

 
Provision of guidance and technical expertise to the Ministry of Health and other relevant ministries for formulation/revision of policies related to maternal and child health.

 
Development of strategies based on the policies

 
Designing / planning of MCH programme based on strategies

 
Identification of best practices, pilot testing and integration into the MCH programme.

 
Provision of necessary direction, guidance, coordination and support to peripheral managers for implementation of national programmes .

 
Provision of technical and managerial guidelines and protocols/formats including relevant duty lists.

 
Networking and partnership building with stake holders and programme implementers.

 
Developing programme specific education and training materials .

 
Capacity building of relevant staff; pre-service, in-service and post graduate.

 
Provision of technical expertise to develop and revise curricula of basic and in service training of relevant health staff .

 
Logistic management related to MCH programme.

 
Advocacy for mobilization of funds from GoSL and other national and international sources.

 
Ensuring the restoration and functioning of MCH services in emergency and special situations.

 
Implementing donor funded projects liaising with development partners and provincial health staff

 
Surveillance of adverse MCH outcomes with special reference to maternal, perinatal and infant morbidity and mortality.

 
Monitoring and Evaluation of MCH services at national level.

 
Provision of feedback reports to Ministry of Health, Development partners, implementing authorities and other relevant agencies.

 
Conducting and coordinating operational research related to reproductive health.