Government Medical Officers Forum(GMOF) Has Requested President To Remove Health Ministry Secretary

The Government Medical Officers Forum(GMOF) has made a written request yesterday (12)from President Mahinda Rajapksha to remove Dr.Nihal Jayathilake the secretary of Ministry Of Health from his post with immediate effect due to the malpractices and tender frauds he got  involved in.

According to the letter sent to the President by GMOF Dr.Jayathilake has been found guilty of several malpractices and tender frauds occurred in the health sector while he was in office as the Assistant Health Secretary few years back and as a result he was removed from the post and transferred to the ministry of Provincial Councils on 2008.

As an official who is having a corrupt background he  should not be appointed as the head of the responsible ministry like Ministry Of Health at all GMOF has stressed,it will be shameful act of the government to appoint a corrupt official as the health ministry secretary the GMOF has further said.


The Health Secretary has failed to fill around 100 medical administrator vacancies there in the health sector and to transfer  one of the most corrupted officials in the Health Ministry during last three years in his office  the GMOF has further said.

Court Of Appeal Has Permitted Health Ministry To Print Pictorial Warnings Covering 50-60% Area Of Cigarette Packs

The Court Of Appeal has today(12)  permitted  Health Ministry to print pictorial warnings on Cigarette Packs covering 50-60% of the pack's surface  indicating health hazards causes by tobacco. earlier government has seeking court to giving permission to print pictorial warnings covering 80% of the Cigarette Packet surface.

However the tobacco companies filed the case last year against the decision to print pictorial warnings that covering 80% of Cigarette Packet Surface .it has learnt that the health authorities too agreed with the tobacco companies secretly last year to print pictorial warnings on  cigarette packs covering  50 or 60% of the pack surface although they have told the media that they are expecting a court verdict for 80% coverage.

The Government has issued a special gazette notification on 08th of August 2012 by making compulsory to print eight graphic warnings on Cigarette Packs.the parliament too has unanimously passed three regulations under the national tobacco and alcohol act on 19th of February this year to print  pictorial warnings on Cigarette Packs covering 80% of the
area .

The Ceylon Tobacco Company a subsidiary of British American Tobacco has filed the case against the decision of covering 80% of Cigarette Pack area with pictorial warnings .

Court Of Appeal To Give Verdict Tomorrow On Cigarette Packs Carrying Pictorial Warnings Covering 80% Of The Pack

The  Court Of Appeal is scheduled to be given the verdict tomorrow (12) on whether the Tobacco Companies should carry out pictorial warnings of health hazards caused by smoking covering 80% of the Cigarette Pack.

Although the government has decided that   cigarette packs should carry out  pictorial warnings covering 80% of the pack by  indicating health hazards of smoking, the  local Tobacco Companies have filed a court case against the given  percentage.The companies suggesting that the coverage area of Pictorial Warnings  appeared  in  a  Cigarette Pack should be less then 80%

The Parliament has recently unanimously approved a gazette notification which enable to implement a law to carry out  pictorial warnings covering 80% in Cigarette Packs.

According to the Ministry Of Health around 65 persons have died daily in Sri Lanka due to the illnesses caused by cigarette smoking.around 60% of the cancers among locals are caused by smoking it has
been revealed.

Four Suspects With "Kerala Marijuana" Got Arrested In Kalpitiya

The Police have arrested Four Suspects with 40 Killo Grammes of "Kerala Marijuana "(Ganja) today (11) at Kalpitiya Area .Kalpitiya Police have  made this arrest during a raid in the area.

The suspects with the stock of "Kerala Marijuana
" arrested are to be produced before the Puttalam Magistrate Court .the Kalpitiya Police are conducting further investigations on the incident.

Trains Got Delayed Fourth Day Due To The Train Drivers Strike

Trains got delayed for the fourth day today due to the work to rule campaign launched by Train Drivers since last Wednesday(30).some trains departed today from Fort and Maradana Railway Stations few hours later then the scheduled time Railway Department has said.

The Locomotive Engineer Union has launched this work to rule campaign since last Wednesday by demanding authorities to solve the shortages occurred    in Signal Systems,Rail Tracks and Trains.

More Then 200 Drug And Surgical Items Are Out Of Stock In Govt.Pharmacies

More Then  200 Medicinal Drug Varieties and Surgical Items  Are not available in Government Pharmacies these days according to health sources.due to this situation a large number of patients who are receiving  treatment from the private sector have faced numerous difficulties as majority of them are purchasing drugs from government pharmacies due to cheaper prices.

This drug shortage has occurred due to not receiving ordered drugs in time the sources have added.

A Popular Illegal Gambling Center Was Raided And 34 People Got Arrested

A Special Police Investigation Team has raided a popular illegal gambling center functioned at Town Hall this evening and arrested thirty four persons including a woman according to Police Sources.a woman and 7 employees at the gambling center were among those arrested police sources added.

The raid has been carried out at 6 p.m this evening by the special police team compromising with OIC of the Anti Vice Squad in Western Province Inspector Chandana and OIC of Colombo Crimes Division Chief  Inspector Neville  De Silva.The Colombo Crimes Division is conducting further investigations on the incident.

This is the second time that this gambling center in Town Hall was raided and in previous occasion all 23 police officers involved in the raid carried out there last year were controversially transferred to other police stations following the incident.