Severe Vaccine Shortage In Maharagama Cancer Hospital

Around 20-25 Essential Cancer Vaccines are out of stock in National Cancer Hospital at Maharagama(Colombo Suburbs) according to the hospital  sources .   

Carboplatin,Pachlitaxel,Vincristin(VCR),Doxorubacin,Oxaloplatin and Cisplatin are among the out of stock vaccines according to the sources.

Due to the shortage of these vaccines thousands of Cancer Patients faces severe difficulties as a large sum of money need to buy these vaccines from the Private Sector.As a result there is a threat to developing the illness of the Cancer Patients One Oncologist at the Cancer Hospital stressed.

In Private Sector One vial of these out of stock vaccines is costs around  Rs.10,000 and above according to him.

Meanwhile according to the Ministry Of Health the main reason behind  the Cancer Vaccine shortage is the delay of supplying these vaccines by the supplier.The supplier who was awarded the tender to supply these vaccines last year has not supplied them since March 2010 Ministry has confirmed.

Jayantha Katagoda Sworn In As New MP Replacing General Fonseka's Vacant Parliamentary Seat

Mr.Jayantha Katagoda a  member of the Democratic National Alliance(DNA) lead by imprisoned former Army Commander General Sarath Fonseka  ,sworn in as a New MP in Parliament  replacing   the vacant seat of General Fonseka.Mr.Katagoda was Sworn in before the Speaker Chamal Rajapaksha this evening.


On last Saturday DNA has unanimously  nominated Mr.Katagoda as the replacement for their leader General Sarath Foneseka's vacant seat in the Parliament .The new MP who was also an Actor and Businessman was received third largest number of Preferential Votes during last Parliamentary Elections behind General Fonseka and Lakshamn Nipunaarachchi who refused to accept the replacement earlier.

60 Dengue Patients Were Reported From Colombo City During The March

 Around 60 Dengue Patients and 02 Dengue Deaths had been reported from the Colombo City during the first 08 days of  this Month(March) the Chief Medical Officer in Colombo Dr.Pradeep Kariyawasam has said today.

According to Dr,Kariyawasam out of these 60 Dengue Patients reported from the City of Colombo 20 were from Stace Road in Grand pass area.One out of the two Dengue Deaths reported is also from the Stace Road according to him.It has been reported that around 3500 people lives in 550 shanty houses attached to each other at Stace Road and they are not only prone to Dengue but other diseases like Tuberculosis and Fileria as well.

"There is a garbage canal in the area  and dengue mosquito breeding places like damaged Tyre s  and leaked water "the Colombo Chief MOH stressed.

Due to the spreading of dengue is in rise, People in the area are advised to destroy Dengue Mosquito Breeding Places and clean their home and garden surroundings to prevent the spreading of the disease.

"Glaucoma" Identified As The Major Cause Of Blindness In Sri Lanka

Out of the total number of Blind Population  in Sri Lanka 13 to 14 percent got blinded due to the eye disorder "Glaucoma" according to the Ophthalmologist Dr.Mrs.Muditha Kulatunga.The age group of Over 60 years  in Sri Lanka is more prone  of getting Glaucoma which has been described as  the "Silent Thief of Sight" due to the sudden blindness it caused  Dr.Kulatunga has stressed.

To avoid of getting the disease the age group of over 60 years should under go a Eye Test in every six months and the people of less then 60 years should under go a Eye Test at least once in every two years she has further added.According to Dr.Kulatunga if parents are having the Glaucoma the chance of their children getting the disease is 5 times higher then a normal person and those people whose blood relatives having Glaucoma are having 9 times higher chance  of getting the disease.

Speaking at  a Media Seminar held in Colombo this morning on "The International  Glaucoma Week" declared between 06th of March to 12th of March 2011, Dr,Kulatunga has said to mark the International Glaucoma Week"Colombo National Eye Hospital is launched a series of programmes to educate the people throught the Island on Glaucoma in collaboration with vision 2020 secretariat and the Sight Savers International ..A free eye testing camp for public is due to  be held in the Eye Hospital On  12th of March ,the final day of the Glaucoma week.

According to the statistics around 5 million people world wide are currently living with blindness due to the Glaucoma and this number is expected to rise by the year 2020 to 11.2 million.

Around 33 Displaced People Left To Be Re Settled In Jaffna

According to the Army Commander Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya at the moment only 33 displaced  people belongs to Nine Families left  to be re settled in Jaffna Peninsula (Northern Sri Lanka).A Large number of Families lived in Refugee Camps are already settled in their home towns according to the Lieutenant Jayasuriya.

The De-Mining process carried out by the Army Engineers is already concluded the Army Commander has stressed.

Vehicle Of TNA MP Was Attacked

An unidentified Group attacked The Vehicle of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP of Jaffna S.Shritharan with a Grenade this evening   Anuradhapaura and Nochchiyagama areas ( Both in North Central Province) while he is returning to Colombo after visiting the North.

According to the TNA Party sources although the vehicle was damaged due to the attack MP Sritharan and his Security Personal were escaped without hurt.


 

Two Essential Injections Are Out Of Stock In State Hospitals And Pharmacies

It has been reported that two injections one using for "By Pass" Surgery and other one for Anesthesia are out of stock these days in State Hospitals as well as in Private pharmacies.The injection "Gentamycin" which is use for By Pass Surgeries are out of stock in State Hospitals and In Pharmacies since three months and and important Anesthetic Injection using for all surgeries  "Thiopentone Sodium" is out of stock in State Hospitals from sometime.
Besides the shortage of these injections State Hospitals are currently facing shortage of  essential drugs like "Metformine","Piriton"Paracetamol","Aludrox" and "Aspirin".Due to the shortage hospital doctors are prescribing patients to buy these drugs from Private Pharmacies.