"They are a lower proportion of the population but their health problems are more severe and more greatly affect their quality of life," he said.
"I am looking forward to working with other stakeholders like councils, iwi and social groups, because public health is about people."
Dr Jayasinghe will oversee the SDHB's involvement in public health issues, and also co-ordinate the response to any public health problems such as a disease outbreak.
He moved to New Zealand from Sri Lanka some years ago, and has worked as a health researcher at the University of Otago Wellington campus, a smoke-free co-ordinator in Hawke's Bay, a public health adviser in Wellington, and before moving to Dunedin as a medical officer of health for Tairawhiti DHB.
"I was there for three years, and I am now at the end of my second month in Dunedin," Dr Jayasinghe said.
"They are both wide geographical areas, which means sometimes we have to react to problems as they arise, but I would like to identify as many health problems and issues and activities as possible and work them into a work plan."
One of the last major pieces of work Dr Jayasinghe's predecessor Marion Poore was involved with was a major air quality control project. Dr Jayasinghe was keen to progress that work.
"We have had a couple of discussions, it is a timely and important project for Southern," he said.
"... I am contacting other stakeholders because when we plan a project like this we need to think about the impact, because when we market it we want to show the outcome."
Dr Jayasinghe was also keen for the SDHB to play a role in central government's review of water quality and standards.
"We are already asking people to uplift the quality of water services, and with time they will understand the importance.
"We have a lot of small-scale water supplies with under 500 customers or consumers and we mainly focus on larger-scale suppliers, so once the Ministry of Health starts the standardisation it will have an influence in our district."
