The Health Ministry of Sri Lanka from today will implement the new National Health Policy formulated to provide and maintain health service according to national and international standards for the next five years. Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena has said the policy focused on improving standards in the country's health sector will be implemented from January 1st, 2013 to 2017. The Minister has observed that the newly formed policy would address a new target to be achieved in the health sector each year. The policy has outlined the monetary allowances for each step and a detailed course of action for achieving each milestone. According to Sirisena, this five-year policy had the potential to achieve a lot more than the previous National Health Policy, which was formed to address concerns of the health sector for a one year period. Sri Lanka's health system is considered the best in South Asia but the record has been threatened by the rising incidences of diseases brought on by behavioral and lifestyle factors. The Planning Division of the Health Ministry formed the new National Health Policy.