Unit Overview

The Community Health Promotion and Social Media Unit of the Health Promotion Bureau (HPB) is dedicated to improving the health of Sri Lankans through community-based initiatives. We are pioneers in grassroots-level health promotion, emphasizing bottom-up interventions with true community engagement. Our effectiveness is reflected in international collaborations, including the INPARD project with Oxford University and ongoing research with Imperial College London on the Happy Village Plus Initiative. Over the years, we have developed diverse educational tools, from traditional interactive materials to digital gamified health education to meet the public’s evolving needs. The unit also plays a key role in the training of trainers capacity for health promotion. Additionally, we actively engage in collaborative research on health promotion and communication to strengthen evidence-based practices.

Main Functions:

1. Community Health Promotion:
Lead grassroots health promotion initiatives with active community engagement (e.g., Happy Village Programme and Happy Village Plus Initiative).
2. Health Communication:
Utilize social media platforms for timely, impactful health messaging.
Create and disseminate tailored health messages for the diverse Sri Lankan population.
3. Innovative Tools Development:
Develop gamified and digital interactive health education materials.
Promote NCD prevention through targeted interventions and campaigns.
4 .Training and Capacity Building:
Conduct postgraduate training and Training of Trainers (TOT) programs on health promotion, community mobilization, and social media health communication.
5. Research and Collaboration:
Advance evidence-based health promotion strategies through research, including international collaborations.
6. Technical Advisory:
Provide expert support for NCD and cancer prevention initiatives.

Program and Responsibility

Social Media Health Communication

Happy Village Program

Meet the team

Team Leader

Dr. Ajith Alagiyawanna MBBS, MSc (Com. Med.), MD (Com. Med.)

Consultant Community Physician/ Specialist in Community Medicine

Unit Head

Dr. Ashan Pathirana (MBBS, MSc (Com. Med.)

Medical Officer

Dr. M.A.Teshan Eranda (MBBS, MSc (Com. Med.)

Registrar in Community Medicine

Dr. Irshad Mashood

Senior Registrar in Community Medicine

Mrs. I M S K Iluppitiya

Health Education Officer

Mrs GNK Dilrukshi

Development Officer

Publications of Unit Head – Dr. Ajith Alagiyawanna MBBS, MSc (Com. Med.), MD (Com. Med.)

The Impact of Multiple Interventions to Reduce Household Exposure to Second-Hand Tobacco Smoke among Women: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial in Kalutara District, Sri Lanka.

A. Alagiyawanna, N. Rajapaksa –Hewageegana, and N. Gunawardena. “The Impact of Multiple Interventions to Reduce Household Exposure to Second-Hand Tobacco Smoke among Women: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial in Kalutara District, Sri Lanka.” Figshare, 2017.

Prevalence and Correlates of Exposure to Second Hand Smoke (SHS) among 14 to 15 Year Old Schoolchildren in a Medical Officer of Health Area in Sri Lanka.

Alagiyawanna, A. M. A. A. P., Esther Queenie Veerasingam, and Nick Townsend. “Prevalence and Correlates of Exposure to Second Hand Smoke (SHS) among 14 to 15 Year Old Schoolchildren in a Medical Officer of Health Area in Sri Lanka.” BMC Public Health 18, no. 1 (November 2018)

Effects of Multiple Interventions on the Hygienic Standards of Food Handling Establishments.

Alagiyawanna, Ajith, Pathirana AMAAP, and ACA Silva P. “Effects of Multiple Interventions on the Hygienic Standards of Food Handling Establishments.” MOJ Public Health 7, no. 6 (November 2018): 297–302.

Studying the Consumption and Health Outcomes of Fiscal Interventions (Taxes and Subsidies) on Food and Beverages in Countries of Different Income Classifications; a Systematic Review.

Alagiyawanna, AMAAP, Nick Townsend, Oli Mytton, Pete Scarborough, Nia Roberts, and Mike Rayner. “Studying the Consumption and Health Outcomes of Fiscal Interventions (Taxes and Subsidies) on Food and Beverages in Countries of Different Income Classifications; a Systematic Review.” BMC Public Health 15, no. 1 (September 2015).

Prevalence and Associated Factors of Occupational Stress among Bus Drivers of Sri Lanka Transport Board in Colombo District.

Illangasinghe, D. K., M. A. A. P. Alagiyawanna, D. B. D. L. Samaranayake, and N. Fernando. “Prevalence and Associated Factors of Occupational Stress among Bus Drivers of Sri Lanka Transport Board in Colombo District.” Journal of the College of Community Physicians of Sri Lanka 27, no. 3 (November 2021): 411.

Salt and Health: Public Awareness, Attitudes, and Practices in Sri Lanka to Inform a Behaviour Change Communication Campaign to Reduce Dietary Salt.

Jayatilleke, Achala Upendra, Nalika Gunawardena, Angela De Silva, Champika Wickramasinghe, Lakshman Gamlath, Thilak Siriwardena, Janaki Vidanapathirana, et al. “Salt and Health: Public Awareness, Attitudes, and Practices in Sri Lanka to Inform a Behaviour Change Communication Campaign to Reduce Dietary Salt.” Journal of the College of Community Physicians of Sri Lanka 28, no. 3 (November 2022): 640.

Integrating the Development Agenda with Noncommunicable Disease Prevention in Developing Countries: A Quasi-Experimental Study on Inter-Sectoral Action and Its Impact on Self-Reported Salt Consumption—the INPARD Study

Liyanage, Isurujith K., Kremlin Wickramasinghe, Prasad Katulanda, Ranil Jayawardena, Indika Karunathilake, Sharon Friel, Seenithamby Manoharan, et al. “Integrating the Development Agenda with Noncommunicable Disease Prevention in Developing Countries: A Quasi-Experimental Study on Inter-Sectoral Action and Its Impact on Self-Reported Salt Consumption—the INPARD Study.” Cardiovascular Diagnosis and Therapy 9, no. 2 (April 2019): 120–28.

Social Media as a Tool to Reach the Younger Generation with Nutrition Related Health Messages,

Piyasena, Amila Prabhash and Alagiyawanna MAAP. “Social Media as a Tool to Reach the Younger Generation with Nutrition Related Health Messages,” 2017.

Development and Validation of the Interpersonal Communication Assessment Tool for Assessing the Interpersonal Communication Skills of Public Health Midwives.

Prasanna, S.A.S., H.T.C.S. Abeysena, and M.A.A.P. Alagiyawanna. “Development and Validation of the Interpersonal Communication Assessment Tool for Assessing the Interpersonal Communication Skills of Public Health Midwives.” BMC Health Services Research 23, no. 1 (May 2023).

DEVELOPMENT OF A COMPLEX INTERVENTION PACKAGE FOR DENGUE PREVENTION

Rajapaksha, R. M. Nayani Umesha, Chrishantha Abeysena, Aindralal Balasuriya, Nimalka Pannila Hetti, Ajith Alagiyawanna, and Suranga Manilgama. “DEVELOPMENT OF A COMPLEX INTERVENTION PACKAGE FOR DENGUE PREVENTION,” June 2022.

Associations between Residential Greenness and Self-Reported Heart Disease in Sri Lankan Men: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Silva, J. Padmaka, Ankur Singh, Brian Oldenburg, Wasantha Gunathunga, A. M. A. A. P. Alagiyawanna, and Suzanne Mavoa. “Associations between Residential Greenness and Self-Reported Heart Disease in Sri Lankan Men: A Cross-Sectional Study.” Edited by Hans-Uwe Dahms. PLOS ONE 16, no. 5 (May 2021): e0252382.

Challenges and Advances towards Reformulating Processed Foods to Contain Low Salt in Sri Lanka.

Siribaddana, Pandula, Achala Jayatilleke, Nalika Gunawardena, Angela de Silva, Champika Wickramasinghe, Lakshman Gamlath, Thilak Siriwardena, et al. “Challenges and Advances towards Reformulating Processed Foods to Contain Low Salt in Sri Lanka.” International Journal of Nutrition Sciences 7, no. 4 (December 2022).

The Experience of Stigma by Service Personnel during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Sri Lanka.

Wickramasinghe, E. ., P. De Zoysa, A. Alagiyawanna, K. Karunathilake, Y. Ellawala, I. Samaratunga, U. Amarasinghe, et al. “The Experience of Stigma by Service Personnel during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Sri Lanka.” Sri Lanka Journal of Psychiatry 12, no. 2 (December 2021): 15–21.