Over the last years a very progressive mental health policy has been adapted by Sri Lanka; decentralisation and community care of mental health services being at its core. Even though there are real advancements in certain areas, many remain to be done. Uva Province officials and health professionals are very keen making a difference by fully implementing the mental health policy within their Province. This desire for change was also behind the initial request for support from the side of the local authorities. As a consequence, UNDP AGSL and the Italian region of Umbria through FELCOS (Umbrian fund of local governments for decentralised cooperation and sustainable human development), have initiated this first mission to Sri Lanka.

Thirty years ago the Italian psychiatric reform law (Legge 180) made radical changes to the concept of Italian mental health care, which, until then, had combined some components of community care with a prevalent mental hospital care. The new law stated that community care must stand alone, and this led to the closing of mental hospitals. Thus Italy became the first developed country to base its mental health care solely on a community network of mental health facilities. 

The Italian delegation comprised of three professionals with great experience in the shift towards community psychiatric care in Italy: Antonia Tamantini, Board Director of Mental Health Department of ASL 3, Anna Toni, Responsible for social services of ASL 3 and Teresa La Ferla, researcher of Perugia’s University,Mental Hospital of ASL 3

After meetings at the national level, the delegation has visited the Uva Province where several meetings, visits and workshops were organized in order to get a better understanding about the situation in the two Districts. The meetings allowed the exchange of ideas, knowledge and experience on a community based approach to Mental Health Services, and throughout the discussions potential for further collaborations between the regional actors have been identified.

During their stay in Sri Lanka, the mission got an insight in the vast and complex issue of Mental Healt Painting of a Patient at Diyathalawa Ayurveda Hospital h Services in Uva Province. The full support of the local authorities and stakeholder allowed the mission to have various meetings and visits to become familiar with the system and the issues at stake. Following meetings and visits were organised between the 25th of October and 2nd of Nove mber: Meeting: Directorate Mental Health, Ministry of Healthcare and Nutrition, Colombo Meeting: World Health Organization, Colombo Meeting: United Nation Development Programme, Country Office, Colombo Visit: National Institute of Mental Health, a state run hospital functioning under the Ministry of Healthcare and Nutrition, Colombo Welcome meeting: Provincial Authorities (under Hon. Governor Uva Province and the Chief Secretary), Badulla Visit: Psychiatric unit/clinic and ward General Hospital, Badulla Meeting: Director Hospital and Psychiatric Consultant & team of psychiatric unit, Badulla Visit: Children Rehabilitation Centre, Keppetipola Workshop on Mental Health: exchange of knowledge and experience on MH of various actors and stakeholders between Uva Province and Region of Umbria Visit: Provincial Ayurvedic Hospital, Diyathalawa Visit: Rehabilitation Centre, Meedumpitiya Visit: Community Resource Centre, Wellawaya Monaragala