May 28, Colombo: Sri Lanka Minister of Healthcare and Nutrition Nimal Siripala de Silva met President Mahinda Rajapaksa today, having returned to the country after being appointed the Chairman of the Executive Board of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva.

President’s Secretary Lalith Weeratunga is also pictured at the meeting. Minister de Silva also met other Cabinet colleagues this evening at Temple Trees. The WHO Executive Board is comprised of 34 individuals designated by member states of the Board. These individuals elect a chairperson for a one-year term. Member states are elected for three-year terms and Sri Lanka is a member from 2006-2009. Minister de Silva is the designated member on the Board for Sri Lanka's term. He has held positions of Committee Member and Vice Chairperson from 1988-2000 and Executive Member, South Asian Region, in 2005. Dr. Balaji Sadasivan, Senior Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Singapore, was the outgoing Chairman.

(Pix: Sudath Silva)