PDNA Validation Meeting Sets Foundation for Structured National Recovery Following Cyclone ‘Ditwah’

The Disaster Management Centre (DMC), in partnership with the Department of National Planning (NPD) and other key national and international development partners, is leading the Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA). The process is systematically collecting, analyzing, and evaluating data on physical damage, economic losses, and social impacts across all affected sectors, adhering to an established timeline.

The PDNA Committee convened today (27 Feb) at the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to hold a high level validation session. The meeting was chaired by the Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd), and centered on endorsing evidence based assessments to support the formulation of a comprehensive national recovery framework.

During the session, the deputy minister emphasized that data integrity is paramount to ensuring that reconstruction efforts reach the most vulnerable populations.

The validated report would serve as the official blueprint for Sri Lanka's shift toward sustainable development. It provides a detailed itemization of the financing required to restore essential services, including education, healthcare, and water sanitation systems (WASH) that were compromised during the peak of the disaster.

The final PDNA report, which will guide the national budget for disaster reconstruction, is scheduled to be officially handed over in latter part of March 2026.

The session was attended by the Director General of the Disaster Management Centre (DMC), along with senior committee members and technical experts.