Based on its Country Cooperation Strategy ( a medium-term strategic framework between WHO and the government) WHO aims to attain the highest level of health by strengthening the health system at national, provincial and district levels using principles of equity, fairness and responsiveness, with an emphasis on the poor and the marginalized. The agency assists in addressing the health needs of all Sri Lankans in the following six strategic areas of intervention;

• Health System
• Human resources for health
• Communicable diseases
• Non-communicable diseases and mental health
• Child, adolescent and reproductive health
• Emergency preparedness and response

In its emergency response, as the health sector co-coordinator for the UN family, WHO mobilizes support for the public health sector in the areas of epidemiology, disease surveillance laboratory capacity building, water and sanitation, psychosocial and mental health care, health information system.