24 Health Trade Unions Staged A Protest Campaign To Support Director General Of Health Services

The Health Trade Union Confederation which compromised 24 trade unions staged a protest campaign in front of Health Ministry this noon to support the proposed  service extension to Director General Of Health Services (DGHS)Dr.Ajith Mendis.members of powerful trade union alliance staged their protest campaign around one hour and urged health authorities not to block the proposed service extension of DGHS .

Meanwhile the "Satyagraha" Campaign launched by few unions of Health Trade Union Alliance opposing service extension of DGHS was stopped this noon due to enjoining order issued by Colombo District Court restraining their action.However the health workers participated the "satyagraha"campaign mainly Family Health Officers have seen protesting in front of Ministry coincided with other protest campaign.Both Protest campaigns were held at the same venue and Police Officers and Riot Police were deployed there to avoid any tense situation.

37 Detained Chinese Fishermen Handed Over To Chinese Embassy

The group of 37 Chinese Fishermen who were arrested by sri lankan authorities when illegally fishing in Sri Lankan waters were handed over to Chinese embassy in Colombo yesterday .These  Fishermen got arrested by Sri Lankan Navy on last Sunday with their two trawlers used for fishing when they fishing in waters of Batticloe Area in eastern part of Sri Lanka.Two Sri Lankan Agents who helped them were also got arrested.

Director General Of Health Services Given One Month Service Extension Till..........

The Government has decided to give a temporary one month service extension to Director General Of Health Services (DGHS)Dr.Ajith Mendis with effect from 03rd of August till Cabinet approves the proposed service extension to him government sources said.Cabinet is due to discuss on granting the service extension of Director General Of Health Services Dr.Mendis today(08) sources added.

The Cabinet Paper on granting a service extension to Dr.Mendis has already submitted to Cabinet it has been revealed.

Till cabinet announces  his future dr.mendis  has decided to stay away from office the sources said.Due to this situation Deputy Director General Dr.Sunil Alwis has been appointed as acting director general of health services by health secretary dr.nihal jayathilake to carry out  duties of the post.Showing their concern for DGHS Post few of the deputy director general of health services attached to health ministry who were also engaged in mud slinging campaign against dr.mendis are now eying to grab the acting DGHS slot by claiming that they are the seniors eligible to hold the post.

The cat is out from the bag yesterday regarding this issue  when one of the senior DDG'S sent a letter to health ministry secretary by stating that  he should be appointed for the post according to law.

Meanwhile some officials attached to Ministry Of Health and few trade union leaders who are engaged in a mud slinging campaign to oust DGHS dr.mendis since last few weeks from his post are now openly opposing the temporary service extension given to dr.mendis by stating he should not be given such an extension.Some who are slinging mud over DGHS  are trying to misguide public by saying that the post of DGHS is now vacant and suitable candidate should be appointed for the post soon.

Director General Of Health Services is  head of the Health Department in Ministry Of Health.

24 Health Sector Trade Unions wants President Rajapaksha To Consider Service Extension Of DGHS

The Health services Trade Union confederation has made a written appeal to president Mahinda Rajapaksha yesterday (03) by stating when giving  the proposed service extension to current Director General Of Health Services(DGHS) Dr.Ajith Mendis only consider the service performance of him not the false allegations leveled  against him by certain elements.

The DGHS is due to retire from his service next Monday (06) but due to a request of service extension to him made by majority of health sector trade unions the trade union confederation wants president to consider the service extension request.However few health sector trade unions have trying to block his service extension by leveling a fraud charges on him by stating DGHS has  responsible  for fraud activity taken place when  purchasing of  Rs.182 million worth surgical equipments to government hospitals in year 2009 .The accusers charged that  the sufficient stocks of that equipment were available  in stores then and stated it was an unnecessary deal to buy an extra stock at that time.

However the charges leveled against DGHS was cleared after an inquiry conducted by special investigations unit of Ministry Of Health last week.The report  of the inquiry was sent to secretary of president by the Health Ministry Secretary Dr.Nihal Jayathilake.However those elements who accused DGHS of wrong doing still refused to accept that inquiry report by stating that it was a biased  report.

The powerful 24 health  trade union alliance has stated through the letter sent to president yesterday that certain elements including a trade union leader backed by some NGO's are trying to block the proposed service extension of  Dr.Mendis by leveling false allegations against him which he was cleared through an investigations a week ago."Therefor President Rajapaksha should consider the yeoman service rendered by DGHS to the health sector during Tsunami and war periods when giving approval to his service extension" it said.

The letter signed by the president of Health Services Trade Union Confederation Venerable Muruththettuwe Ananda Thero and co secretary Harendra Kuruppu has said   that DGHS Dr.Mendis has earlier decided to retire from service with effect from next Monday (06) when his service period expired  but has decided to  request a  service extension only after Health Minister had urged him to do so in several instances.But since he made a written request for service extension under the influence of Minister certain elements withing health sector have trying to tarnish his image as well as his post through a media campaign which is turned out to be a pure mud slinging campaign .

Nurses Union Has Suspended Nurses Strike Scheduled To commence Tomorrow(03)

The Public Services Nurses Union has today (02) decided to suspend proposed Island Wide continuous strike action of government hospital nurses scheduled to be launched tomorrow(03) following a promise made by health ministry secretary on solving all nursing demands withing one month.

The officials of Public Services Nurses Union had met health ministry secretary Dr.Nihal Jayathilake this morning and hold discussions on 15 service demands of nurses which are not solved up to now according to president of nurses union venerable Muruththettuwe Ananda Thero.Amending nurses constitution,granting risk allowance to nurses and increasing of uniform allowance among top demands that discussed with dr.jayathilake Muruththettuwe Thero said.

During the discussion health secretary has promised to give solutions for all 15 demands withing one month period he has added.

Government Hospital Nurses To Strike From This Friday (03)

Government Hospital Nurses have decided to launch an island wide continuous strike action on Friday (03) by demanding solutions for 7 of their service demands according to Public Services Nurses Union (PSNU).nurses will launch this continuous strike if the health ministry has not taken any steps to solve their demands during tomorrow's meeting with health ministry secretary Dr.Nihal Jayathilake the president of Nurses Union Venerable Muruththettuwe Ananda Thero has said.

The Nurses Union Officials are due to meet Health Secretary tomorrow morning to discuss on their demands Muruththettuwe Thero  has stressed. 


Amending Nurses Constitution and increasing Nurses Uniform Allowance are among  main demands of nurses he added.

National Cancer Control Programme To Oppose First Ever Are ca nut Factory In The Country

The national cancer control programme  has decided to oppose the  inaugurating  of first ever areca nut factory in Sri Lanka due to cancerous substance found in areca nuts, community physician attach to cancer control programme  Dr.Hemantha Amarasinha  has said.A proposal regarding inaugurating  of the said factory has been submitted to cabinet some time back dr.amarasinha added.

As areca nuts have proven as including substance caused oral cancer national cancer control programme had appealed to ministry of health to intervene in to this matter and pressurizing government to remove this proposal with immediate effect he stressed. Chewing of areca nuts is known as  one of the main causes for oral cancer.

According to cancer control programme India has now facing  oral cancer threat due to opening of 1000 areca nut factories throughout the country.Areca nuts are used when chewing betel leaves.