This paper examines the coordination framework and interventions undertaken by the Sri Lankan health sector in providing essential health services to the displaced communities in the aftermath of the violent conflict in 2009. The narrative describes, in a chronological format, the strategies and actions undertaken by the health sector in response to a rapidly changing humanitarian crisis. The paper examines some of the key challenges faced by the health sector in the post-conflict recovery phases, the most pertinent being the human resources for health needs.

A review of Ministry of Health departmental meeting minutes/circulars, inter-agency health coordination meeting reports, weekly surveillance reports, inter-agency/agency assessments, media files, and donor and health cluster member reports were compiled and then analyzed in order to construct a narrative on how the Health Sector responded to the humanitarian crisis (from acute emergency phase to the post-conflict recovery and resettlement phase). The authors also were integrally involved in the planning, development, implementation, and monitoring of a spectrum of health sector interventions during the humanitarian crisis from within Government and the United Nations system.

A health systems strengthening approach, which places emphasis on human resources for health, can be effective in delivering high impact, sustained, high quality health care even in difficult and complex humanitarian emergencies such as civil war. The Sri Lankan experience has shown that harnessing effective human resource management stratergies in crisis also is vital for the post-conflict health system recovery phase that follows.The excuse that “the system may be too overwhelmed”; or health departments “too overstretched” to lead a coordinated effort can be mitigated with positive leadership and planning. The dividends of working in such an approach also ushers reconcilliation via a unified health workforce and promoting the idea of health as a bridge for peace.