Public Services Nurses Union (PSNU) Want President To Intervene And Find A Solution For Milk Powder Crisis

The Public Services Nurses Union(PSNU) has yesterday (06)requested President Mahinda Rajapaksha to intervene and  find a fair solution for the milk powder crisis occurred in the country.the president of PSNU Venerable Muruththettuwe Ananda Thero has said the Industrial Technology Institute(ITI) which is  testing milk powder samples to see whether they are contaminated with DCD chemical has sent  a different report to the Ministry Of Health on 03rd of September by stating those milk powder batches removed from the market early Last Month due to contained DCD now free from that chemical.

Some authorities have trying to cover up the real situation and the so called second report on DCD is a clue on that Venerable Thero has said.due to this situation president should have intervene and solve this matter through a fair inquiry in to the incident as the milk powder crisis now becomes a national issue here he has further added.

Assurance Cannot Be Given To All Milk Powders In The Market Untill Tests Are Completed.-GMOA President

Assurance cannot be given to all milk powder varieties available in the market as DCD Chemical free until the tests are completed on all of them the president of Government Medical Officers Association(GMOA) Dr.Anura Padeniya has said.according to him the tests of less then 10 milk powder samples concluded by Industrial Technology Institute up to now as around 120 million packets of DCD contaminated else suspected as contaminated still sold in the market .

"The GMOA has not satisfied the way the Ministry Of Health has sending the milk powder samples to ITI for DCD tests and only selected samples have been sent for the tests up to now" he has stressed.

Meanwhile the deputy health minister lalith dissanayake has said in Parliament yesterday(05)that the ministry of health will assure all milk powder products available in the market are free from DCD Chemical.

Sri Lanka's Annual Expenditure On Importing Milk Powder Is Higher Than Importing Drugs For Government Hospitals

Sri Lanka is spending more money for importing Milk Powder  Products annually than importing drugs for government hospitals it has been revealed.according to central bank reports sri lanka has spending Rs.40 billion annually to import milk powder products to the country which is 0.58% of the gross national product of the country.

Milk Powder is second highest consumed food among locals which is second only to the rice according to the reports.after Sugar ,the second highest expenditure has been spend on importing milk powder products .

As milk powder companies have created a mentality among sri lankan society that milk powder will give them necessity nutrition and prevention of diseases majority of the people here are addicted to using milk powder medical specialists said.

 Meanwhile Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) has requested the health ministry secretary dr.nihal jayathilake to implement active plan to promote breast feeding among sri lankan mothers.

Government Nursing Officers Union Again Filed A Court Case Against Fonerra's Milk Products-Seeking A Fresh Enjoin Order Against The Company

The Government Nursing Officers Union has filed a new appeal in Gampaha Civil Appeals Court requesting to issue  a fresh enjoin order against Fonterra Brands Sri Lanka Private Limited by banning distribution ,selling and advertising their milk powder and other milk products in Sri Lanka due to the contamination of DCD Agro Chemical in their products.the nursing officers union has filed the appeal on last Thursday(29) and the case is due to summon on 12th of September according to president of nursing officers union saman ratnapriya.

Nursing Officers Union had earlier filed a case in Gampaha District Court against Fonterra Limited   on 16th of August where an enjoin order was issued against the company banning distributing,selling and advertising all of their milk powder and milk products for 14 days.however the  district court has removed that order  seven days after it's implementation.

Officials Of New Zealand Based Milk Powder Company Apologized From Technology And Research Minister Over DCD Issue

The authorities attach to the Sri Lankan branch of New Zealand based Milk Powder Company which is center of the DCD contained Milk Powder Issue have meet Minister of Technology and Research Champika Ranawaka last week and apologized to  him over the company's behavior in the DCD issue  according to the reliable sources.although the authorities of the said milk powder company have meet the Technology Minister and apologized they didn't meet the Health Ministry officials and apologized due to the influence of one of the top officials of the health ministry the Government Medical Officers Association(GMOA) has said.

The said Health Official who has influenced the milk powder company not to apologize from the ministry has trying to cover up the DCD contained Milk Powder issue by issuing negative statements like foreign lab reports have shown that  their is no trace of DCD chemical found in imported milk powder GMOA has further added.

Around 12o Million DCD Contained Imported Milk Powder Packets Still Being Sold In Local Market- Government Medical Officers Association(GMOA)

The Health Ministry and the food authority attach to the ministry were only able to removed 252 packets of DCD contained Milk Powder from the market up to now  while around 120 million Milk Powder Packets either DCD contained or suspected as containing  it still being sold  in the market freely according to President Of Government Medical Officers Association(GMOA) Dr.Anuruddha Padeniya.

Even the Health Authorities still not able to destroy the removed stock of 252 Milk Powder packets which proved as contained DCD Chemical Dr.Padeniya has said."Sri Lankan health officials still trying to protect some milk powder companies who are imported DCD Contained Milk Powder from New Zealand but New Zealand Government it self revealed that although the using of DCD contained fertilizer in pasture lands of their country has  banned since end of last year the DCD Chemical has already entered in to the human food chain "he has stressed.

One of the largest  milk powder manufacturing companies in New Zealand which is center of the DCD controversy recently  has earned around Rs.130 million as their dally income  through selling their milk powder in Sri Lanka  GMOA president  has revealed.

"There's no brain or body growing nutrients contained in either infant milk powder else full cream milk powder consume by adults"all these are advertising tricks use by multi national milk powder companies to improve their sales of milk powder.infact there's no need to give infant milk powders for children at all as during first six months after the birth infants should be given breast milk only and after the sixth month infant should be given extra food with breast milk" dr.padeniya has  said.

Until the child reaches two years breast feeding should be continued he further added.

Addressing a media briefing held at the OPA Center in Colombo  today(03)  dr padeniya has said that their union handed over a document contained seven proposals on promoting breast feeding among mothers to the Ministry Of Health which is  need of the hour.GMOA urged the health ministry secretary Dr.Nihal Jaythilake to create a health ministry maintained web site to promote breast feeding among local mothers he has further said.

Fourteen Day Injunction Order Against Fonterra Has Extended

The 14 day Injunction Order issued by Court of appeal  banning Fontera Brands Sri Lanka Limited on advertising their milk powder products as 100% safe to  be consumed was again extended till 19th of September when court has taken up the case  today (02).the two member Court of appeal judge panel compromising chairman of court S.Skandaraja and Malini Gunaratne have issued the extension order.

An architect reside in Matale District has filed the case against Fonterra early last Month  against the misleading advertising strategy adapted by  Fonterra on their milk powder products although advertising milk powder products were banned by director general of health services at that time due to DCD scare in the country.

During the court proceedings the lawyers representing plaintiff were argued that although fonterra milk powder products still available in the market it has not clear whether they have contained DCD agro chemical or not as the DCD issue is still not yet be settled.