President Rajapaksha Appealed To Saudi Arabian King To Pardon Sri Lankan Maid

President Mahinda Rajapaksha made an appeal to  king of Saudi Arabia today to pardon Sri Lankan maid Rizana Nafeek who was sentenced to death by Saudi Arabian court for killing Saudi Infant in 2005.

A Riyadh Supreme Court few days ago endorsed the death sentence imposed on Nafeek by Dawadami High Court on June 2007.

25,000 Stroke Patients Reported From Sri Lanka Annually

Around 25,000 Stroke Patients are reported annually from Sri Lanka and out of them 20,000 are dying due to not getting treatment in early stage of the disease Sri Lankan Neurologists have revealed.Normally around 55 stroke patients reported daily from local Hospitals and 40 of them  dying they stressed.

According to  chief of the Stroke Unit in ,National Hospital,Colombo Dr.Padma Gunaratne out of the Stroke Patients reported from Sri Lanka annually 25 percent are in the age group below 65 years."This proved that the disease it self is no longer a disease among elderly people' she added.One of the major causes for people having Stroke is smoking and 37 percent who are having the disease are addicted for Smoking Dr.Gunarathna has said.

She also said that if a patient taken to the Stroke Unit in Colombo National Hospital within three hours after showing symptoms of Stroke the life of the patient can be saved and can prevent the side effects too.

GMOA Urged The Health Officials To Consider Views Of Medical Staff Before Implementing 24 Hour OPD Services

"To implement the President Mahinda Rajapaksha's proposal to open  OPD(Out Door Patients Department) Clinics of all the Government Hospitals 24 hours a day  in practical way Ministry Of Health should discuss the issue with the Doctors and other health staff members who are attached to OPD's to get their opinion "the Government Medical Officers Association(GMOA) said today.

According to the secretary of GMOA Dr.Bimantha Gunasekera Union is not having any objections for the proposal to open OPD's 24 hours a day if Doctors are not opposing it.To get the proposal work Ministry should discuss the issue with  medical staff attched to OPD's and Hospital Directors as well as improved infrastructure facilities of the Government Hospitals he stressed.

Health Ministry To Set Up Separate Dental Clinic For Senior Citizens In All Govt.Hospitals

Dental Unit of the Ministry of Health is planning to set up a separate Dental Clinic in all the major government hospitals for  Senior Citizens who are over 60 years of age Deputy Director General(Dental Services)Dr.Jayasundara Bandara has said.As a first step Ministry has planned to set up a separate dental clinic for senior citizens at Dental Institute in Maharagama of  the Colombo District with  effect from next month(November).

The main aim behind the decision is to provide facilities to senior citizens who are over the age of 60 years to get treatment without waiting in Queus Dr.Bandara stressed.

President Advised Health Secretary To Conduct OPD Clinics In Govt.Hospitals During Holidays As Well

President Mahinda Rajapaksha has advised the Health Ministry Secretary to consider conducting of OPD(Out door patients department) Clinics of the Government Hospital in Government Holidays and Sundays as well.At present OPD Clinics in the Government Hospitals are only conducting during weekdays and Saturdays.

Fire Broke Out In Coal Power Plant Doused

Fire Fighters doused the sudden Fire broken out at  a section of the Norochchalai Coal Power Plant this morning .However the Ceylon Electricity Board is saying that there was no damage to the lives or property due to the Fire.

A team of fire fighters at the Kalpitiya Naval Base were also rushed to the scene to assist the Fire Brigade to douse the Fire .

National Olympic Committee Seek An Explantion From Sri Lankan Commonwealth Boxing Gold Medalist On His Positive Urine Sample

Sri Lankan Boxing Gold Medalist in the Commonwealth Games held in India recently Manju Wanniarachchi was informed by the National Olympic Committee to give an explanation within 14 days time on  why his" A" Sample of  Urine was positive for the ban drugs .Commonwealth Officials earlier this weak  informed the National Olympic Committee on Urine sample test results of Boxer Manju  which proved as positive for drugs.

However it has been reported that the Boxer who won the Gold Medal in Bantamweight section has saying that his urine sample was positive due to medication he has taken for Asthma.