50,000 New TB Cases In Next 10 Years

It has been estimated that around 50,000 New Tuberculosis(TB) Cases will be reported from Sri Lanka Within Next 10 years the Director of the National TB and Chest Diseases Control Programme Dr.P Alwis said today.These Patients will be in the 15-34 Age Group and higher number of Patients should be Males according to the Dr.Alwis.

TB Deaths too will increase more than the current Death Rate of 1685 Cases per year.If the Current TB Control Activities Prevails continuously around 35,000 TB Deaths will saved within next 5 years according to the TB Control Programme Director."Sri Lanka is setting a target to eliminating TB by the year 2015" he stressed.

GMOA To Request Health Ministry On Future Of The Surgeries

The Government Medical Officers Association(GMOA) decided to make a request from the Health Secretary Dr.Athula Kahanda Liyanage on whether or not the Government Doctors should continue the Special Surgeries and Treatment of the Government Hospitals under the circumstances of short supply of Medicines and Surgical Items.

Addresing a Press Briefing in Colombo today GMOA Officials claimed that the Health Ministry not supplied the Drugs and Surgical Items required for Special Surgeries and Treatment and therfore the Doctors have to prescribe patients to buy most of the items from the Private Sector.

Health Ministry already taken steps to suspend the Gastic Bypass kind of Obesity reducing Surgeries in the South Colombo Teaching Hospital folowing the Death of a Beautician.The Beautician died under a natural Complications occured during the Surgery and GMOA will support any impartial inquiary on the incident according to the Assistant Secretary of the Association Dr.Chandana Atapattu.

An Insect Contained Injection Vial Found From A Govt.Hospital

The Government Medical Officers Association(GMOA) today said that an Injection Vial supplied to the Colombo National Hospital contained a medium sized Insect and it gave an indication of the quality of the Medicinal Drugs locally purchased by the Health Ministry.The Injection Vial of"Omprezole"used for Gastritis Ulcers Surgeries contained this insect and it is visible after the Powdered form substance in the Vial dissolved the GMOA charged.

Health Ministry should be careful when handling the Drugs supplied to the Government Hospitals especially on their Quality the Assistant Secretary of the GMOA Dr.Chandana Athapattu said while addressing a Press briefing in Colombo this noon.

Obescity Reducing Surgeries At A Govt.Hospital Suspended After Beautician's Death

All Obesity Reducing Surgeries performed at the South Colombo Teaching Hospital suspended by the Health Ministry following the death of a Beautician who under went above Surgery.The Beautician who was a resident in Rathnapura District outside Colombo under went a Gastric Bypass Surgery to reduced her Overweight a weak ago at the Hospital and died after 6 days due to the Complications related to the Surgery.

The Specialist Doctor who performed the Surgery was charged Money from the Patient which is banned in Government Hospitals according to the Health Ministry.

Responding to the Charges of the Ministry The Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA)today said Obesity Reducing Surgeries are performed under Medical Conditions and it is not a Cosmectic Surgery charged as the Health Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva.The Patient bought a Gun Pin Mechine which is used to stich Intestines from the Private Sector as it is not provided by the Ministry free of charge GMOA claimed.

If the Health Authoruties going to suspend above Obescity Reducing Surgeries due to the Cost factor then they should have suspended Other special Surgeries including Cattaract Surgeries the Association pointed out.

Prices Of Domestic Gas Cylinders To Be Increased

The Domestic Gas Cylinder Prices will increased with the effect from Midnight today(31) according to the Minister Of Consumer Affairs Bandula Gunawardana.Under the New Price Revision the Price of the 12.5 K.G Shell Gas Cylinder will be Rs.1550 and the Laugfs Gas Cylinder will be Rs.1476.

Sri Lankan Court Sentenced Tamil Editor For 20 Years Imprisonment

High Court In Colombo today sentenced the Editor of the North Eastern Tamil Monthly Magazine Mr.J.S Tissanayagam who was under custody since last year 20 years of Hard Labor Imprisonment under the Prevention Of Terrorism Act.

He was found guilty of three Charges leveled against him under the Act and became the First Journalist in Sri Lanka to be convicted by a Court in Sri Lanka.Tissanayagam was arrested by the Police on March last year charging that he was having links with the LTTE Rebels who fought for a separate state in Sri Lanka for nearly two decades.He was writing articles to his Magazine at the time of his arrest.

Western Governments and Press Freedom Groups condemning his arrest.He was offered the Minimum Sentence under the Terrorism Prevention Act.

Southern Provincial Council Elections To Be Held In October

The Southern provincial Council Elections will be held in 10th of October this year the Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dishanayaka announced yesterday.The Governing United Peoples Freedom Alliance(UPFA) and Janatha Wimukthi Peramuna(JVP) already hand over their nomination lists for the Election.

Governing UPFA will contest for the All three Districts of the Southern Province Galle,Matara and Hambanthota while the Popular Cinama and Tele Drama Actress Anarkali Akarsha who is contesting in the Elections under Governing UPFA ticket getting much attraction among the Public.She too was present during the handingover of nominations yesterday. JVP will be contesting for the Matara and Hambanthota Districts.