For more than a century the Public Health Inspector has been the front-line preventive officer of the Ministry of Health. From the Sanitary Branch of 1913 to the digital enforcement of today, generations of PHIs have eradicated smallpox, contained dengue, made street food safer and brought immunisation to every village. The Union represents them — one voice, one register, one professional standard.
“Prevention is better than cure.”Motto of the PHI service
years of service
112+
officers nationally
1,793
citizens protected
21.9 M
districts covered
26
MOH divisions
354
training centres
6
Our Story
Trace the lineage of preventive health in Sri Lanka — from Sanitary Inspectors in 1913 to the digitally-enabled PHI of today.
At the inception of the Sanitary Branch of the Medical Department in 1913, six Sanitary Inspectors were appointed after six months’ training at the Colombo Medical College. Recruitment continued bi-annually, drawing the most able science graduates of the day into a field-first cadre modelled on the British Royal Health Institution.
Sanitary Inspectors played a major role in the control activities carried out during the devastating malaria epidemic of 1934/35. With the inauguration of the Malaria Control and Health Scheme in 1937, their designation was changed from Sanitary Inspector to Sanitary Assistant and back again into Sanitary Inspector. It was with the implementation of the recommendations of Dr Cumpston’s Report on the 1st of July 1954 that the designation was finally changed to Public Health Inspector.
Across more than a century, PHIs led the eradication of smallpox (Wasuriya), the control of every major communicable disease outbreak, the establishment of a safe and healthy food culture, the wellbeing of school children, the reduction of occupational health hazards and the steady rise of national vaccination coverage. Today the cadre numbers roughly 1,793 officers serving as the main enforcement and prevention team island-wide.
1913
Sanitary Branch of the Medical Department established. Six Sanitary Inspectors were appointed after six months' training at the Colombo Medical College.
1934 – 1935
Sanitary Inspectors lead front-line control activities during the devastating malaria epidemic that swept the island.
1937
On the inauguration of the Malaria Control and Health Scheme, the designation changes from Sanitary Inspector to Sanitary Assistant.
1 July 1954
Implementing the recommendations of Dr Cumpston's Report, the cadre is renamed Public Health Inspector (PHI).
1960s – 1990s
Eradication of smallpox (Wasuriya), control of communicable diseases, the building of a safe-food culture and the school-health programme — all led by PHIs island-wide.
Today
Roughly 1,793 PHIs and Administrative PHIs serve as the front-line prevention team for 21.9 million citizens across all 25 districts.
Our Mission
Environmental health management focused on the control of communicable and non-communicable diseases, the restoration of health and the enforcement of health regulations — at the citizen’s doorstep.
Our Vision
A healthy nation built on a safe environment — where every Sri Lankan, from city to remote village, benefits from preventive health that is professional, evidence-led and free at the point of need.
Our Values
Integrity in enforcement, compassion in community work, science in decision-making and solidarity within the cadre. Every officer is bound by the PHI service code of conduct.
What a PHI Does
The PHI is a uniformed officer of the Ministry of Health whose duties span six interlocking pillars of preventive public health. The platform you are using digitises all of them.
Communicable disease control
Investigation of notifiable diseases, contact tracing, outbreak containment and reporting under the Quarantine and Prevention of Diseases Ordinance.
Maternal, child & school health
Field visits, immunisation defaulter tracking, school medical inspection coordination and adolescent health support with the Family Health Bureau.
Food safety enforcement
Routine inspection of food premises, sample collection under the Food Act No. 26 of 1980 and prosecution of unsafe operators.
Environmental & vector control
Premises inspection for mosquito breeding, water-quality surveillance, solid-waste oversight and noise / air complaints under the NEA.
Occupational health & disasters
Workplace hazard surveys, response to floods / landslides / chemical incidents and triage support at mass-gathering events.
Health education & promotion
Community awareness campaigns, NCD lifestyle counselling and tobacco / alcohol / dengue messaging across schools and workplaces.
Training Pipeline
Trainee PHIs complete a two-year Higher Diploma at the National Institute of Health Sciences in Kalutara, with regional practicums across the island. Entry requires GCE (O/L) credit passes in Sinhala/Tamil, Mathematics, Science and English, and GCE (A/L) passes in Biology or Combined Mathematics.
National Institute of Health Sciences
Kalutara
School of Public Health Inspectors — flagship 2-year Higher Diploma
Senior Public Health Inspector with over two decades of field experience. Leads the Union's national advocacy on cadre, service matters and food-safety policy.
