The Cabinet has approved the formation of a review committee to modernize the country's 1897 Quarantine and Prevention of Diseases Ordinance, incorporating lessons from recent epidemic situations and contemporary public health threats.
Sri Lanka's Cabinet has given approval for the establishment of a committee tasked with reviewing and proposing amendments to the Quarantine and Prevention of Diseases Ordinance, a law dating back to 1897 that remains the primary legislative framework governing infectious disease prevention and quarantine protocols in the country.
The government cited increased cross-border movement of people, goods, and services as a key factor driving the need for legislative modernization. Officials stated that heightened international travel and expanded global trade patterns have accelerated the transmission of infectious diseases between nations, presenting risks that the 129-year-old ordinance may not adequately address.
The review committee will examine an amendment bill that was previously prepared following Cabinet approval in 2016, though that earlier proposal never reached Parliament for consideration. The committee is expected to incorporate findings from epidemic situations that have occurred in recent years to strengthen the legal framework for managing both current public health challenges and potential future disease outbreaks.
The Health and Mass Media Minister proposed the formation of the review committee, which will evaluate the existing draft amendments and recommend appropriate modifications before any legislative submission. Officials indicated that the revised ordinance would be designed to provide stronger legal tools for responding to infectious disease threats in the modern era.