🇱🇰 Sri Lanka Launches Wastewater Surveillance to Boost Public Health Intelligence 🩺

• Initiative Overview: Sri Lanka is introducing its first sustainable Wastewater and Environmental Surveillance (WES) program to detect pathogens, including poliovirus, at community levels before cases appear in traditional health systems. • Partnerships & Funding: Supported by a joint technical mission with the World Health Organization (WHO) and funded through the global Pandemic Fund running through 2028. • Key Infrastructure & Operations: • Field assessments completed across Colombo's sewer network, targeting initial sampling at facilities like the Vystwyke pumping station. • Laboratory processing led by the Medical Research Institute (MRI). • Data integration utilizing existing digital platforms like EPINET and water-quality monitoring networks. • Implementation Strategy: A phased roadmap featuring a 12-month pilot program will evaluate operational costs, feasibility, and system sustainability. • National Impact: The system will integrate into Sri Lanka's Multisource Collaborative Surveillance (MSCS) framework, enhancing early threat detection and national health emergency preparedness.