The second phase of the special capacity development program organized by the Ministry of Health and Mass Media for regional, digital, and web journalists across the island was successfully held at the National Institute of Plantation Management in Athurugiriya.

Held over two days on September 21 and 22, 2026, the program saw the participation of a large number of journalists representing the Colombo, Gampaha, and Kalutara districts. Senior officials from state institutions related to disaster management and veteran resource persons from the media field thoroughly educated the journalists on disaster preparedness, resilience, and ethical media reporting.

The Deputy Minister of Health and Mass Media, Dr. Kaushalya Ariyaratne, participated in this special occasion. The Deputy Minister also awarded certificates to the journalists who successfully completed the program and presented the training manual compiled for journalists.