Families in remote villages in Sri Lanka’s Central Province face difficulties in accessing health care facilities due to long travel distances and the lack of regular transport to towns. Field Maternal and Child Health Centres (FMCHC) located in villages play a vital role in bridging this gap by offering free, essential healthcare services to vulnerable communities.

However, many health clinics in remote settlements are in a state of disrepair and lack adequate facilities, inconveniencing both patients as well as healthcare professionals. In 2023, UN-Habitat with funding from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), supported the upgrading of 47 FMCHCs in Nuwara Eliya and Badulla Districts under the project ‘Strengthening Socioeconomic Resilience of Communities Affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Central and Uva Provinces of Sri Lanka’. The Mt Vernon FMCHC located in the
Mt. Vernon estate in Pathana, Nuwara Eliya District was one of the health centres selected by this project. This facility provides vital health care services to 600 women and children in the area, which includes maternal and child health services, immunization, emergency care and routine preventative healthcare clinics.

When UN-Habitat commenced the project, Mt. Vernon FMCHC lacked facilities and space for their day-to-day operations. Ms. Niroshini, a patient attending the health centre, said: “Our health centre doesn’t have a separate patient waiting area or a doctor’s examination room. It also lacks proper toilet facilities, which makes our visits difficult.”

The improvement of the health centre was implemented through UN-Habitat’s people-centric, participatory process. As the existing Health Centre building lacked space for expansion, a new building was constructed close to the old building. Key partners in this initiative included the Office of the Medical Officer of Health for Kotagala, the Regional Plantation company of Mt. Vernon estate -Kotagala Plantations PLC, the Community Based organization – Mount Vernon Rural Development Society (RDS) and UN-Habitat. The Rural Development Society was engaged to construct the Health Centre. Its responsibilities included ensuring construction quality standards, adhering to the specified timeframe, and maintaining transparency and accountability throughout the process. The upgrading of the Mt. Vernon FMHC cost a total of LKR. 4,100,000 (Approx. USD 13,700) and the construction work took about 9 – 10 months.

The improvements included the construction of a patient waiting area, a consultation room and a vaccine room. The establishment of water and sanitation facilities was a vital component of the initiative. Hence, a toilet with disability-friendly access, a 1,000-litre water tank and a peddle-type hand washing station were established at the health centre.

This newly renovated Field Maternal and Child Health Centre now provides clean and safe facilities for both patients and healthcare workers, in a more spacious and conducive environment. “Earlier, the clinic was in a building that was owned by the estate management, which posed challenges in storing our medical equipment and nutritional supplements. We also didn’t have a waiting area for the patients due to limited space. With the construction of the new building, which is fully owned by the MOH Kotagala, we have successfully addressed these issues, allowing us to provide our services more efficiently”. Dr. K.Sutharshan, the Medical Officer of Health, Kotagala MOH Office stated. The MOH Kotagala is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the FMCHC.

The Strengthening Socioeconomic Resilience of Communities Affected by the COVID–19 Pandemic in Central and Uva Provinces of Sri Lanka project is being implemented from 2022-2025 in the Nuwara Eliya and Badulla Districts. By improving access to healthcare and sanitation, this project has empowered communities to take charge of their health and well-being, leading to healthier, more productive communities.