The Field Officer’s Branch of the Regional Directorate of Health Services (RDHS) – Hambantota plays a central role in strengthening primary healthcare delivery and ensuring effective implementation of public health programmes across the district. The branch functions as the coordinating hub for field-level health staff, including Medical Officers of Health (MOHs), Public Health Inspectors (PHIs), Public Health Midwives (PHMs), and other community-based health teams who work directly with families and communities.
This unit is responsible for guiding, supervising, and monitoring all preventive health activities such as maternal and child health, communicable and non-communicable disease control, school health services, environmental health, outbreak response, elderly care, and community engagement initiatives. The branch ensures that national public health policies and guidelines are translated into practical, efficient, and culturally appropriate interventions at the grassroots level.
Key functions include planning district-level public health activities, monitoring performance indicators, providing technical support to MOH offices, facilitating training and refresher programmes for field staff, coordinating inter-sectoral collaborations, and ensuring timely reporting and data management. The Field Officer’s Branch also conducts supervisory visits to assess service quality, evaluate resource needs, identify challenges, and implement corrective measures to maintain high standards of community healthcare.
Through its strong linkages with local communities and frontline health workers, the Field Officer’s Branch contributes significantly to improving population health outcomes, strengthening disease prevention efforts, and ensuring that essential public health services reach every household in the Hambantota district.