Health officials in Sri Lanka’s Uva Province have put forward a proposal to utilize the Starlink satellite network to enhance internet and cellphone communication services across the region’s healthcare sector. The initiative aims to address the communication challenges exposed during recent flooding events.

The floods disrupted both power and telecommunications infrastructure, which severely hampered the ability of local health offices to coordinate emergency responses. This highlighted the critical need for more resilient connectivity solutions to support healthcare delivery and disaster management in the province.

Kethindiya Madushani Samarasinghe, the Uva Provincial Disaster Manager, emphasized the importance of reliable broadband and telecommunication services for health sector operations in crisis situations. A pilot project was carried out in Anuradhapura, where broadband and mobile phone access were established through satellite technology, demonstrating the potential to maintain connectivity despite ground-level disruptions.

The proposal now seeks to expand the use of Starlink, a satellite-based internet system, across Uva Province to ensure continuous communication capabilities for health institutions, especially in disaster-affected areas. This approach could serve to improve coordination, information sharing, and timely response during emergencies where conventional networks become unreliable.

Authorities hope the adoption of satellite internet will create a more robust and flexible communication framework that mitigates the impact of future natural disasters on healthcare services in the region.