Government Imposed A Tax On Imported Milk Powder

The Government has decided to impose a tax of 15% maximum or Rs.92 per a Kilo Gramme of imported Milk Powder except Infants Milk Powder according to Ministry Of Finance.

631 Dairy Farmers Thrown Away 12,000 Liters Of Milk In To A Drain After Milk Powder Companies Refused To Purchased Them

Around 631 Dairy Farmers in Hatton Area had thrown away 12,000 Liters of Cow's Milk yesterday (02)  in to a drain after Private owned Milk Powder Companies refused to purchase their milk due to excess stock they are  having it has been reported.Dairy Farmers thrown the Milk in to a drain and some have seen taken a bath from the milk as a protest on not purchasing their milk.

The sole income of these Dairy Farmers derived  by selling  milk to Private Milk Powder Companies.Due to this situation the government owned Milco Dairy Product Company has today (03)decided to buy Milk from these dairy farmers for higher rates although the Company is having a excess stock of milk.

Meanwhile the minister of economic development Basil Rajapaksha has proposed today (03) to implement a programme on Milk Glass per Student in Government Schools as a step to protect dairy farmers.Through this programme the aim is to improve the nutrition of School Students as well as strengthening the hands of dairy farmers the minister has said.For this programme the ministry of economic development will allocated necessary funds to purchase milk from dairy farmers.

100 Dan Sala's (Alms Giving Centers) To Be Open In Colombo For Wesak Festival

Around 100 Dan Sala's (Alms Giving Centers) built in Colombo City alone for the Wesak Festival this year falls on this Saturday (05) and Sunday (06) according to Chief Medical Officer in Colombo Pradeep Kariyawasam.All these Dan Sala's are already registered in Colombo Public Health Department and the Department officials attached to six provincial MOH Offices in the City began inspecting the hygienic conditions of these Dan Sals's from today  Dr.Kariyawasam has stressed.

Under this inspection  health officials will pay attention to the environment where these Dan Sala's are situated,The way the meals are prepared,way of serving the meals to public and personal hygiene of  workers preparing meals he added.The Colombo Public Health Department has already advised the Dan Sal Organizers to serve food like rice and noodles warm,use pure drinking water,use plastic cups when serving drinks like Tea,Coffee and Soft Drinks and cover the food items that have prepared.

Labour Ministry Requested Private .And Mercantile Sectors To Declare 07th Of May As A Holiday

Labour Ministry has today (03) requested from all heads of Private,Semi Government and Mercantile sector Offices to declare 07th of May (Monday) as a Holiday for their employees.This holiday is granting in view of Wesak Full Moon Poya Day which falls on this Saturday (05th) and the additional Wesak Holiday falls on following Sunday (06th).

Wesak Festival is celebrated by Buddhists all over the world to mark the birth, enlightenment and demise of Lord Buddha.

Professions Supplementary To medicine To Launch An Island Wide Work To Rule Campaign

The executive committee of the Joint Council of Professions Supplementary To Medicine will summoned a meeting tomorrow (03) to decide the dates of launching an island wide work to rule campaign in Government Hospitals the Joint Council sources have revealed.

The proposed work to rule campaign will be launched demanding solutions for three service demands of Government Professions Supplementary To Medicine(Government Pharmacists,Radiographers,Medical Laboratory Technicians(MLT's),Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists ) the sources added.

The Joint Council Of Professions Supplementary To Medicine has given Ministry Of Health  a period of time till 28th of April to give solutions for their demands as requested by the Ministry but due to Ministry's failure to keep the promise Council has decided to launch the trade action the sources further said.

The Exam Fees Of PGIM Repeaters Increased By 100%

The Doctors who are following Post Graduate Studies at Colombo Post Graduate Institute Of Medicine claimed that the institute has been doubled the exam fees  of repeaters.According to this those who have paid rs.70,000 as exam fees now have to to pay rs.140,000 the sources said.


Around 5000 doctors are sitting on examinations held in Colombo Post Graduate Institute Of Medicine annually while around 200 sitting per exam.Out of the 200 only 10-15 candidates are passing the exam and others have to repeat the exam again it has been reported.


Meanwhile the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) has agreed with the authorities to increase the exam fees of PGIM repeaters by 50% sources have revealed.


While criticizing the GMOA 's role in this issue PGIM Candidates said that under the circumstance where GMOA is not able to get an annual salary increment and the increase on Doctors over time payment this year ,majority of doctors are not in a position to pay higher amount of money as post graduate exam  fees.

Diabetic Drug Shortage In Government Hospitals

A large number of essential drugs prescribed for Diabetes including "Metformin" and "Insulin" are out of stock in most of the Government Hospital Diabetic Clinics these days according to hospital sources.Due to this situation Doctors prescribing patients to purchase these drugs from private pharmacies sources have added.

It has been reported that if Doctors in Government Hospital Diabetic Clinics prescribed the patients 8 drugs at least 5 or 6 drugs should be purchase from private pharmacies patients have revealed.However majority of Diabetic Patients are reported as not purchasing these drugs from pharmacies due to their poor economy.

Meanwhile most of these Diabetic Drugs which are out of stock at Government Hospitals are not available  in Medical Supplies Division (MSD) as well according to the sources.