In January 2026, the This Is Public Health (TIPH) Project had the privilege of recording an insightful podcast featuring Prof. Nilanthi Renuka de Silva, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Kelaniya and a globally recognized expert in parasitology and soil-transmitted helminth infections.
The podcast was conducted under the theme “Eradication & Control of Communicable Diseases”, focusing on Soil-Transmitted Helminth Infections in Sri Lanka. During the discussion, Prof. Nilanthi de Silva reflected on Sri Lanka’s remarkable progress in controlling these infections, highlighting the contributions of public health interventions, school-based deworming programmes, health education initiatives, and sustained surveillance efforts. The conversation also explored lessons learned from Sri Lanka’s experience and their relevance to public health practice both nationally and internationally.
The session was hosted by Dr. P. A. D. Coonghe, Project Lead of the TIPH Project and Senior Lecturer in the Department of Community and Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Jaffna.
The video and audio production for the interview was carried out by Ms. Mathavy Umasuthasarma, Project Fellow of the TIPH Project, Faculty of Medicine, University of Jaffna.
This podcast was produced as part of the TIPH Project under the Riegelman – This Is Public Health Global Grant Programme, which seeks to document, preserve, and disseminate Sri Lanka’s public health experiences and achievements for future generations and the global public health community.
