An organized effort to provide maternal and child health services commenced with the introduction of the Health Unit System in 1926, Kalutara being the 1st health unit established with a Medical Officer of Health as the in charge.

Government accepted family planning as a national policy and it was integrated with the already developed Maternal and Child Health services provided by the Ministry of Health.

A separate division was established within the Ministry of Health to implement the programme throughout the country. This was initially designated as the Maternal and Child Health Bureau.

The MCH Bureau was re-designated the Family Health Bureau (FHB) to highlight the integrated nature of the MCH/FP services. The FHB then became the central organization of the Ministry of Health responsible for planning, coordination, monitoring and evaluation of the MCH/FP services, also referred to the Family Health Programme.

National Policy on Maternal and Child Health published