Around 19 May Day Rallies To Be Held In Colombo Tomorrow(01)

Around 19 May Day rallies organized by political parties and organizations are to be held in Colombo tomorrow(01) marking International Workers  Day.governing United Peoples Freedom Alliance(UPFA) May Day Rally is to be held in Campball Park,Borella under the patronage of President Mahinda Rajapaksha .the May Day Parade of UPFA will begin at Neluma Pokuna Avenue  . the  main opposition United National Party (UNP) is to conduct three May Day Rallies in Colombo,Kurunagala and Badulla Districts.

The leftist Janataha Wimukthi Peramuna(JVP) will conduct their May Day Rally at BRC Grounds under the patronage of their leader Mr.Somawansha Amarasinha and their May Day Parade will begin from S.De S Jayasinha Grounds.

Meanwhile Police has requested people out side Colombo to avoid entering the City tomorrow unless a special reason due to the traffic expected during May Day Parades.

Strike Action Of Registered And Assistant Medical Practitioners Paralyzed 450 Central Dispensaries

The patient care services of around 450 central dispensaries throughout the island are paralyzed and nearing close down due to the island wide continuous strike launched by registered and assistant medical practitioners (RAMP''s)according to hospital sources.around 950 medical institutions including these central dispensaries,peripheral units and rural hospitals are affected due to this strike the sources added.

Around 1550 registered and assistant medical practitioners are engaged in this strike launched by demanding paying of proposed communication allowance for the said practitioners.the society of  registered and assistant medical practitioners has said that although health ministry secretary dr.nihal jayathilake has issued a circular  to pay communication allowance for the RAMP's on last September still the authorities not taken steps to implement that circular.

Registerd And Assistant Medical Practitioners To Launch An Island Wide Continuous Strike Tomorrow(30)

The Registered and Assistant Medical Practitioners are to launch an island wide continuous strike from tomorrow (30) by  demanding the communication allowance which is granted to government doctors according to Society Of Registered And Assistant Medical Practitioners Association .registered and assistant medical practitioners attach to 950 rural hospitals,central dispensaries,peripheral units and base hospitals are due to participate this strike action which begins 8 a.m tomorrow.

The practitioners have  already withdrawn from extra hour duty work of hospitals the association has said.

Railway Strike Scheduled For Today Called Off

The Railway Trade Unions have decided to called off the 48 hour Railway Strike  scheduled to be launched midnight today(28) following  discussions they had with transport authorities this morning.around 3000 railway workers including drivers,formans,station masters ,railway guards and signal controllers were to take part in this strike demanding a pay hike.

The Railways Professional Trade Union Alliance has today decided to suspend the strike following the discussions held with the secretary to Transport Ministry Dhammika Perera.

18 Low Quality Drugs Were Withdrawn From Government Hospitals During First Three Months

During first three months of this year 18  essential drugs and injections were withdrawn from Government Hospitals throughout the island as they were in low quality.Metformin,Salbutamol,Sodium Valporate are among the drugs withdrawn from hospitals according to sources.

These low quality drugs were tested at national drug quality assurance laboratory in Colombo.

175 Dengue Patients Were Reported From Colombo City In April

Around 175 dengue patients and 2 dengue deaths have been reported from Colombo City limits during month of April so far  according to Colombo chief medical officer Dr.Pradeep Kariyawasm.most of the dengue cases were reported from Borella,modara,mattakkuliya and central Colombo areas.

During first three months of this year 903 dengue patients were reported from City Of Colombo he has stressed.

Non Availability Of Essential Drugs And Issuing Of Low Quality Drugs Increased The Moratality Rate Of Non Commmunciable Diseases

A large number of  People suffering from non communicable diseases including  Diabetes and coronary heart diseases died in government hospitals due to the shortage of essential drugs and issuing of low quality drugs to them according to medical specialists.as the majority of essential drugs regularly not available in government hospitals doctors have prescribed patients to buy them in private pharmacies but due to the high cost of living condition in the country majority of these patients are not able to  purchase them specialists said.

As a result the status of their disease become worst and some are dying due to this one of the senior specialists attached to government hospital has said.due to the issuing of some low quality drugs for these patients make the situation worst he has stressed."health authorities should correct this situation and taken steps to supply essential drugs prescribed for non communicable diseases to all government hospitals and ensure that only high quality drugs will issue to the patients through pharmacies he further added.

Health Authorities Decided To Uphold The Release Of Low Quality Dhal

The Health Authorities have decided to uphold the  release of  25,000 metric tonnes of Dhal imported from Canada to the market after  it has been revealed that the stock of Dhal is contaminated with wastage.the said  stock of low quality Dhal is currently remained in Colombo Port and due to be destroyed soon according to the food control unit of Health Ministry.

The Food Control Unit has decided to take a legal action against the company which has imported the said stock of dhal according to Ministry sources.

Vehicle Registration Fees Increased By 10%

The proposed 10% increase of of vehicle registration fees due to be implemented with effect from 01st of March according to Commissioner General of Motor Traffic s.h harischandra.the commissioner has already informed all  provincial motor traffic commissioners on the increase of said fees .

The gazette notification regarding the increase of vehicle registration fees has been issued and it is due to be implemented in western province with effect from 01st of May this year.a 10% increase of vehicle registration fees is proposed through the 2013 budget proposals.

New President And Secretary Of Cricket Board Elected Uncontested

Jayantha Dharmadasa and Nishantha Ranathunge were elected for the posts of  president and secretary of Sri Lankan Cricket Board respectively this morning uncontested.the election of cricket officials scheduled to be held in 30th of March was postponed to 16th of April due to the controversy over nominations.

Earlier the nominations of MP Thilanga Sumathipala and former president of Sri Lankan Cricket Board Upali Dharmadasa to the post of president of cricket board were rejected by sports minister mahindananda aluthgamage.

Heavy Showers In Colombo And Galle Due To The Atmospheric Disturbance

The meteorology Department has announced that heavy showers will prevails in Colombo and some areas in Southern Province during today due to the atmospheric disturbance.thunder showers will prevails in Colombo while coastal areas of Galle District too get effected met department announced.

GMOA Requested Government To Prepare Seperate Policy On Purchasing Expensive Drugs

Government Medical Officers Association(GMOA) has requested government to prepare a separate national policy on purchasing expensive drugs/equipments for government hospitals as there are instances of severe shortage of expensive drugs in Cancer and other major hospitals in the country.

The main opposition too raised a question at Parliament recently regarding the shortage of 17 expensive drugs and injections  in Cancer Hospital as Cancer Patients are in serious condition due to the shortage of these drugs and injections."as we are having annual fixed budget allocating money for purchasing drugs it will be disadvantage for other patients if large sum of money from that budget spend for purchasing expensive drugs" the secretary of GMOA Dr.Chandika Epiatkaduwa has said.

Therefor GMOA has requested government to adapt a separate policy on purchasing an expensive drugs and the government has accepted it as a policy he stressed.

X ray,Scan And MRI Tests In Govt.Hospitals Stopped Due To The Sick Not Campaign Of Radiographers

All X Ray ,Scan and MRI Tests performs in Government Hospitals stopped today(09) due to the island wide sick not campaign launched by government radiographers .thousands of patients  were underwent severe difficulties due to this trade union action of radiographers who are demanding solutions for two of their service demands .

As radiographers who were in sick note campaign not maintained the emergency services in hospitals   hospital authorities have sent all routine and critically ill patients to private hospitals to perform above tests under government expenses hospital sources said.

The Radiographers are due to end their sick note campaign tomorrow(10) morning.

Government Hospital Radiographers To Launch A Sick Note Campaign Tomorrow(09)

Radiographers attached to  government hospitals throughout the island  are to launch an island wide sick note campaign tomorrow(09) by demanding solutions for two of their service demands according to Government Radiography Technologists Association.the sick not campaign is due to start at 8 a.m tomorrow and will continue till 8 a.m on Wednesday(10) morning.

Due to this trade union action routine x ray tests,Scan and MRI Tests performs at government hospitals will not perform tomorrow the secretary of Radiography Technologists Association Mr.Daramakeerthi Apa has said.

Radiographers are demanding the halting of recruiting new comers for the diploma course on Radiography due to the Graduate Radiography Technologists and to increase extra allowances entitled for the radiography technologists.

Ministry Of Agriculture Has Banned The Importation Of Three Pesticides

The Ministry Of Agriculture has decided to ban the importation of three Pesticides currently use in Sri Lanka with immediate effect.the importation of   Pesticides ,Chlopyrifos,Propanil and Cabaryl are banned per the recommendations made by World Health Organization as these Pesticides are reported as contained high levels of Arsenic according to the Ministry sources.

Arsanic has found as the main reason for the unidenified chronic kidney failure affected  most of the farmers in North Cenral Province over the last few years.thousands of farmers already have died from this disease while a large number of other farmers critically ill due to the disease.

Dengue Patients Are In Increase

During January to March this year around 8930 dengue patients have been reported from the island the epidemiology unit has said.out of this number 39.95% have been reported from western province.

Due to the rainy season prevails in most parts of the island these days spreading  of dengue is in increase and t epidemiologists have advised  people to take precautionary measures to combat dengue menace by cleaning house  gardens and destroying mosquito breeding places .

Sending Local Workers To Cyprus Suspended

The Ministry of Foreign Employment has decided to temporarily suspended sending workers to Cyprus due to the current economic crisis in that country.in last few days objections have been raised by many quarters over sending workers to Cyprus and several parties argued that Sri Lankans work there will be stranded in that country.

Meanwhile the Ministry Of Foreign Employment has said that foreign  employment bureau will meet the demand of Sri Lankan workers there as the economic crisis there would not effect foreigners.

One Out Of Every Three Persons In South Asia Has Suffering From High Blood Pressure -Dr.Mehtha

One out of every three persons in South Asian Region including Sri Lanka has identified as suffering from High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)while around 9.4 million people in the region annually died due to the disease the resident representative of world health organization(WHO) to Sri Lanka Dr.Firdosi Rustom Mehtha has said.the main causes for the increasing number of hypertension patients in the region  is none  other than high consumption of salt and smoking he has stressed.

The diseases such as Heart Attacks and Strokes have been caused by hypertension it self Dr.Mehtha said.to control the increasing number of hypertension among patients reducing the daily consumption of salt is very important and people should restricted the consumption of salt to  5 grammes (One teaspoon )per day he has added.

Dr.Mehtha has revealed these facts at a seminar held today(03) on World Health Day falls on 07th of April.

Around 10% Of All Hotel Cafe Workers In Coombo City Have Been Identified As Suffering From Repiratory And Venereal Diseases

Around 10% out of 4400 hotel and cafeteria workers attach to All Hotel and Cafeterias situated in Colombo City have been found as suffering from infectious,respiratory and venereal diseases through a medical examination conducted according to Colombo Chief Medical Officer Of Health Dr.Pradeep Kariyawasam.most of the infected hotel workers numbering 377 have been suffering from.Para Typhoid and others are infected with respiratory and venereal diseases he has stressed.

Those workers identified with venereal diseases have released from their working places to the Sexually Transmittedbeen  Diseases Campaign clinic for further treatment he has added. meanwhile the Colombo Public Health Department has planned to conduct a medical examination for all hotel and cafe workers and issue medical certificates at least once a year .

Ten National Cricketers Left India To Play IPL

Ten out of the thirteen Sri Lankan National Cricketers who have signed luxurious contracts with various cricket clubs played at Indian Premier League(IPL) left India today to play IPL despite the threats made against Sri Lankan Cricketers by certian political groups in Tamil Nadu.the political groups and personals including state chief minister jayalalitha has banned sri lankan cricketers of participating 10 IPL Games to be hosted in Chennai under the tournament.Meanwhile criticisms growing among certain local groups which are pressurizing the Sri Lankan Cricket to prevent sri lankan cricketers  by participating IPL

National Cricketers Lasith Malinga,Mahela Jayawardene,Kumar Sangakkara,T.M Dilshan,Angelo Mathews,Kusal Janith,Jeevan Mendis,Sachithra Senanayake,Ajantha Mendis,and Tissara Perera left India to participate IPL and they informed their decision to the Sri Lankan Cricket early today.these cricketers were advised to stay away from Tamil Nadu.former sri lankan spinner muththaia Muralideren due to join IPL soon.

Due to the political pressure Chennai based cricket club Chennai super kings has already removed two of the sri lankan contracted players fast bowler nuwan kulasekera and spinner akila dananjaya from their club at sixth edition of IPL scheduled to be begin tomorrow(02).only sri lankan Test /ODI vice captain and t-20 captain Dinesh Chandimal has refused to play this years IPL Tournament .

Around 15 Essential Drugs Are Out Of Stock In Government Hospitals

Around 15 essential drugs prescribed in diabetic and nephrology clinics attach to government hospitals are out of stock these days hospital sources said.sodium valporate,HCT,prognacine are among the out of stock items sources have added.

Due to the drug shortage patients attending these clinics are prescribed to buy these drugs from private pharmacies sources further added.