Minister Weerawansha Ended His Fast After President Intervened

Housing and construction minister Wimal Weerawansha who launched an indefinite fast to death campaign last Thursday in front of the UN Office in Colombo  ended his fast this evening after president Mahinda Rajapaksha visited him and offered him a glass of water to drink.Fasting Minister drank the water and ended up his fast and afterward s he was taken to the Army Hospital for treatment.

This noon Minister Weerawansha made a special statement for  the media and said that he will not giving up his fast even if President intervenes, till UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon abolished the three member Advisory Panel he appointed to inquire on the alleged war crimes against Sri Lanka.

Before president Rajapaksha visited the fasting  Minister Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksha and several Ministers and Government MP'S visited the fasting minister.

UN Secretary General Again Urged Sri Lankan Government To Bring Back Normalcy At UN Offices

United Nations Secretary general Ban ki moon again urged to Sri Lankan authorities to bring back  the  situation around UN Offices in Colombo to normal  to ensure the continuation of the UN work in Sri Lanka.Sri Lankan Minister of Housing and Construction Wimal Weerawansha is involved in fast to death campaign in front of the UN Office in Colombo since Thursday morning demanding the abolition of the three member advisory panel appointed by the UN secretary look in to the alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka.

 How ever the UN secretary Moon said that he appointed the three member advisory panel to advise him on Sri Lanka according to the joint statement signed with the SL Government and it is not a panel to investigate on Sri Lanka according to the UN News .

Budget Passed With Majority Votes

The Budget for the year 2010 was passed today at the Parliament with 68 majority votes.139 MP's including of the  opposition United National Party (UNP) MP Abdul Carder voted in favor of the budget 71 Opposition MP's voted against the Budget.

Fasting Minister Weerawansha Sent His Resignation Letter To The President-President Refused To Accept It

Adding fuel to the ongoing drama in front of the UN Office in Colombo, Minister Wimal Weerawansha who is involved in fast to death campaign since yesterday morning sent a letter to the President Mahinda Rajapaksha indicating his resignation from  the Housing and Construction  portfolio.It has been reported that this letter was sent to the President yesterday and  President today refused to accept the Minister weerawansha's resignation letter.

Minister Weerawansha who is also the leader of the National Freedom Front which is an allied party of the Governing coalition began a fast to death campaign yesterday demanding the abolition of the special three member advisory committee appointed by UN Secretary Bank Ki Moon to inquire in to the alleged war crimes leveled against the Sri Lankan Government.Addressing to the media on his campaign Minister weerawansha said he will continue his campaign till abolishing of the above panel and requested from the public and from his fellow cabinet members to join with him.

Meanwhile UN officials in New York says that they are monitoring the situation at the UN Office in Colombo closely.However UN Secretary Moon yesterday shut down the United Nations Development Program me (UNDP) Office in Colombo and recalled it's director and UN Residential Representative here Mr.Niel Buhne to New York.

UN Secretary General Moon Shut Down The UNDP Office In Colombo

As the Cabinet Minster Wimal Weerawansha is involved in fast to death campaign in front of the United Nations Office at Colombo UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon today decided to shut down the United Nations Development Programme(UNDP) Office in Colombo and recalled the head of the mission Mr.Niel Buhne to New York.UN Secretary General Decided to shut down the UNDP Office in colombo due to the government's handling of the security of the UN Office in Colombo it has been announced.

Cabinet Minister Wimal Weerawansha Began A Fast Un to Death Campaign In Front Of UN Office

Cabinet Minister of Housing and the leader of the Allied party of the Government coalition the National Freedom Front(NFF) Wimal Weerawansha began a fast to death campaign in front of the United Nations Office in Colombo this morning demanding  abolishing of  the three member Advisory Panal appointed by the UN Secretary general Ban Ki Moon on an alleged war crimes against the Sri Lankan Government.

 Minister Weerawansha who was with some other leaders of his party marched towards UN office yesterday morning  and hold a protest in front of the UN Office  blocking  the gate of the office began his fast this morning after taking blessings from the Buddhist Bhikkus  present at the occasion.Just minutes before he began his fast three other leaders of the National Freedom Front who were in fast since yesterday broken their fast to pave the way for mr.weerawansha to begin his fast to death campaign.

Several Opposition parties including the main opposition the United National Party(UNP) and the Democratic Peoples Alliance led by former army commander General Sarath Fonseka criticized the fast campaign of the Minister stated it as an unnecessary act of conduct.

Government Hosptal Nurses To Launch a Indefinitive strike

Government hospital nurses decided to go on island wide in-definitive  strike in  16th of  August this year over 11 of their demands.According to the ,Government Nurses began a protesting campaign on wearing a black band in their hands to protest against Health Minister's failure to implement their demands.
 

Medical Experts Seeking The Support From Relatives Of Brain Death People On Donating Organs

Medical specialists appealed to the relatives of the Brain death persons to give permission to get kidneys from these patients for those who need a kidney transplants adding that it will be a benefit for those needy.In Kandy teaching hospital two kidneys taken from a brain death patient were successfully transplanted to two patients during last week hospital authorities said.



A liver was taken from the same brain death patient to perform sri lanka's first Liver transplant surgery performed during last week at the Colombo,National Hospital.

Nursing Instructors Strike Affected Nurses Training Schools

Two Hundred Fifty three Nursing Instructors attached to 18 Nurses Training Schools island wide began a continuous Strike on last Thursday protesting against the Health Ministry's Decision   to restrict their Over Time Period.Due to the strike all nursing schools faced a possible closure as the Nursing Instructors withdrawn from lecturing Nursing Pupils .

According to the Nursing Instructors Union Some Five Hundred  Nursing students are affected due to the strike.Meanwhile Ministry of Health invited the officials of the Nursing Instructors Union to discuss on the issue on Monday.

Sri Lanka's First Ever Liver Transplant Surgery Performed At A Govt.Hospital

A Group of 15  Doctors led by Professor Mandika Wijerathna successfully performed the Sri lanka's first ever  liver transplant surgery at the Colombo National Hospital on last Monday .The liver which was transplanted to a liver failure victim was taken from a brain death person who was received  the treatment at the intensive care unit of the same hospital.The liver was taken from the brain death person with the permission of his relatives according to the Director of the National Hospital Dr.Hector Weerasinha.

A patient have to pay Rs.5 million to six million  for a liver transplant surgery perform in U.K and Singapore.

The liver transplant surgery at Colombo national hospital  took 10 hours to complete and the patient who was transplanted the liver is now receiving treatment at the Surgical Intensive Care Unit of the Hospital according to Dr.Weerasinha.National Hospital authorities plan to continue  liver transplant surgeries at the hospital he stressed.

General Fonseka To Form A New Party

Former Army commander retired General Sarath Fonseka has submitted an application to the Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dishanayaka seeking approval for  forming a new party of his own.He named the new party as Democratic Peoples Alliance and appointed Tiran Allas as the party secretary.

The new party is also a member of the Democratic National Alliance which is lead by General Fonseka. Even he lead the Alliance he is not having a party of his own up to date.

General Fonseka who is also a member of the National Parliament is currently in prison on an allegations on war crimes leveled against him by the government and also facing a court martial on these allegations.

One Day Workshop For Parliamentary MP's On Immunization Programme

Ministry Of Health planned to conduct a workshop on our Immunization Progrmme to all parliamentary MP's in 15th of July at the Waters Edge Hotel in Battaramulla according to the Ministry sources.The One day workshop is organize to provide  the technical knowledge on the Immunization Programme.

2490 Dengue Patients In The Month Of June

Around 2490 Dengue Patients were reported throughout the Island  and 14 deaths were reported during the Month of June Epidemiological Unit said today.According the unit due to the rain there is a risk of spreading the Disease further.

People are advised to clean their gardens and removing the empty cans,and other medias where the Dengue mosquito lay their eggs.

A Shortage Of Saline And Gose

There is a shortage in Saline and the surgical Item Gose in the Medical Supplies Division of the Ministry of Health Health sources said today.According to the sources  saline bottles only numbering 100,000 which are sufficient for 5 days to use in Government Hospitals are available at  the MSD in present and the stock of Gose are currently out of stock at the supplies division.

The failure to import these essential drugs and surgical items in time  by the previous authorities is the main fact behind this shortage according to the sources.Health Ministry recently decided to stop importing of Gose for the Government Hospitals to encourage local Gose suppliers to produce sufficient amount of Gose for the local hospitals.

Government Hospital Nurses To wear Black Bands From Friday

Government Hospital nurses are due to launch an Island wide protest campaign on wearing Black Bands from  this Friday(02)  demanding to solve 11 of their service demands Public Services Nurses Union has announced today.Around 20,000 nurses Island wide will join this protest campaign which will run 7 days and thereafter will decide the future cause of action during next weak according to the union.

A spokesman of the Nurses union said that the Ministry of Health failed to solve 11 of their service demands which including the promotions problem and implementing of the nurses constitution.Health Ministry Officials are not available for comment on the nurses protest campaign.

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Demonstration In Front Of UN Against Secretary General's Decision

A Demonstration was staged in front of the United Nations Office at Bauddhaloke Mawatha in Colombo 07 this morning to protest against UN secretary General Ban Ki Moon's decision to appoint an expert panel to advise him on Sri Lanka.This demonstration was organized by the Hela Jathika urumaya(JHU)

Government Increased The Liquor And Cigerrette Prices

Sri Lankan Government has decided to increase the prices of Liquor and Cigarettes with immediate effect.According to the price increase government imposed a Rs.50  increase of the tax on locally  imported liquor and cigarettes by Rs 1.Government also imposed a tax on wine by Rs.50.

Lab and Radiography Tests Are Not Functioning Due To A Strike

The Issuing of Drugs at the Government Hospital Out door patient departments and the Radiography tests,Laboratory tests and Physiotherapy treatment were cripple today due to the token strike launched by the five professions of Professions supplementary to medicine(PSM).These professionals launched a strike action over five of their service demands.

 The strike is due to end tomorrow morning.

Bread Price Also Goes Up

Sri Lanka Bakers Association has decided to increase the price of Bread by Four Rupees with the effect from midnight tonight following the price increase of Wheat Flour.The flour supplier prima yesterday increased their flour price by Rs.10.50.

According to the new price hike the price of   450 gramme Bread loaf will  be Rs.44.Critics said that the prices of other Bakery products including Cakes and short eats too will increase in coming days mainly due to the increase of flour.

Prima Increased The Flour Price

Prima the major Flour supplier in Sri Lanka today increased their Flour Prices by Rs.10.50 per Kilo due to removing tax concessions by the Government.According to the new Price hike a kilo of Flour will increased to Rs.73.50 from Rs.63.

PSM Health Professionals To Launch A Strike Tomorrow

Five major categories of health professionals belongs to the Professions supplementary to medicine(PSM) are due to launch an Island wide token strike from 8 a.m tomorrow morning onwards over five of their service demands.The demands are including halting  the amending of the PSM Degree and filling  the Vacancies of the administrative PSM professionals .

If their demands are not met during tomorrow the PSM Professions including Government Pharmacists,Radiographers,Medical Laboratory Technicians,Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists are decided to continue their strike indefinitely.

Dengue Patients Are In Rise

As Showers are continue Seven Hundred twenty seven new Dengue patients were identified throughout the Island from the period of 15th to 18th of June Sri Lankan Epidemiology Unit sources said today.Altogether around seventeen thousand thirty five(17,035) Dengue patients were reported from the Island  up to now this year  and there were one hundred thirteen (113) deaths.


The highest number of Dengue patients were reported from Gampaha District and Districts of Colombo and Jafna placed the second and third slots.People are advised to clean their resident areas where Dengue Mosquitoes are breeding due to the showers that prevails in the Island.

The Prices Of Milk Powder Increased

The Consumer Affairs Authority gave permission to increase the prices of 400 grammes and 1 Kilo pack of Milk Powder with the effect from midnight tonight.According to the new price increase  a 400 gramme pack of Milk Powder is increased from Rs.19 and 1 Kilo Pack from Rs.48.

A Mass Wedding Ceremony Of Former LTTE Cadre Couples

A mass wedding ceremony of 53 rehabilitated former LTTE cadre couples was held this morning at Vavuniya.Popular Bollywood Actor Vivek Oberoi,Hambanthota MP Namal Rajapaksha and several other local  politicians were attended this function  which was organized by the Sri Lankan Government.

Fifteen Thousand Dengue Patients Reported During The First Six Months Of This Year

Fifteen Thousand Five Hundrad eighty eight (15,588) Dengue patients are reported throught the Island from January to June this year and out of them Ninty were died according to the Sri Lankan Epidemeology Unit.The Most number of Dengue Patients were reported from the Jaffna District which is Two thousand seventy three  patients upto date.

Meanwhile the newly formed Presidential Task Force on Dengue Control launched preventive programmes in many districts throughout the Island according to the Ministry Of Health.

Malnutrition Amongst Sri Lankan Children And Mothers Are In Rise

Although sri lanka achieved greater heights on several Health Indicators comaparing with most other countries Malnutrition amongst Children,Adolesents and pregnent mothers are in rise Nutritionists warned.Child Malnutrition is very high at the moment and due to this 16.7 percent out of the SrI Lanka's 300,000 newly born infants are reported as having low birth weight.The weight of these children are well below 2.5 KG which is the normal birth weight of the infants.

According to the National Nutrition Policy launched at the Sri Lanka Foundation Insttiute on Last Tuesday 16.2 percent of Sri Lankan women are malnourished and 30.3 percent of pregnent Mothers are suffering from Anemia which was caused due to the malnutrition.Around 29 percent of the Children under the 5 years of age are suffering from Vtamin A Deficiancy Nutritionist said.

The Malnutrition status among children are same as that in Thirty years ago according to them.The Poorest People which represents the 20 percent of the local population are restrict their meals especially nutritious meals due to the daily price hike of food items and getting used to consume non nutritious foods according the Nutritionists.

Two Senior Medical Directors Involved In Robbing Foreign Training Opportunities

Two senior Medical Directors attached to the Health Ministry are continuously grabbing the short term foreign training opportunities  offered to other medical doctors ministry sources has been revealed.These two directors  is in abroad at present too for two foreign conferences  mentioned above.

This year alone these two went abroad five times apiece  according to the Ministry sources.A section of medical doctors made a  complaint on these two  to the president Mahinda Rajapaksha.

New Cancer Vaccine Introduced To The Local Market

A new Cancer Vaccine which can prevent the Cervical Cancer which is the second commonest Cancer among Sri Lankan Women was introduced to the market this evening.At a function held in Colombo Hilton this evening GSK Pharmaceuticals introduced "Cervarix" Canver Vaccine which is acting as an Immunization Vaccine.


The Vaccine which is available for Rs.5950 per vial was launched under the approval of National Drug Authority.According to the Oncologists around 1252 Cervical Cancer Patients are reported from Sri Lanka annually and among them 625 patients died .The newly introduced vaccine is recommended for the girls above 10 years and  women.

More Bollywood Stars Arriving For IIFA

Popular Bollywood Actors,Sanjay Dutt,Anil Kapoor,Salman Khan,Bipasah Basu and Diya Mirza arrived Sri Lanka this evening to attend the International Indian Film Festival(IIFA) scheduled to be held in this Saturday.Along with these actors few Indian Musicians and Designers too arrived this evening.

IIFA Events begins with the Fashion Show tomorrow evening at the BMICH  featuring Famous Bolywood Actors and Actresses .Actor Vivek Oberoi will host this event.The Charity Cricket Match play between Bolywood Film Stars and National Cricketers is scheduled to play on this friday at the SSC Grounds in Colombo .

Ktunayaka-Colombo Intercity Train Launched

The Katunayaka Air Port -Colombo Intercity Express Train launched it's maiden Journey this morning.

IIFA Brand Ambassador Decided To Skip The Event Held In Colombo

The Brand Ambassador of the International Indian Film Awards known as Indian Oscars Actor Amithab Bachchan has decided to skip from attending the Awards Ceremony scheduled to held 
on this saturday at Colombo Sri Lanka.He was under pressure after the Tamil Diaspora Group has threatened him not to attend the Ceremony.However Amithab was here last month to official launched the II FA Awards.

Meanwhile Along with Amithab few other Film Stars including Popular Actor Sharukh Khan,Aishwarya Rai,Abhishekh Bachchan and Arjun Rampal decided not to attend the Awards Ceremony citing their Official Asignments..Already the Co Host of the Awards Ceremony Vivek Oberoi,Lara Dutta.Bomini Airani were arrived Sri Lanka and around 100 other artists are due to arrive Sri Lanka from tomorrow.

Sri Lanka Slashed The Excise Duty On Imported Cars By 50 Percent

Sri Lankan Government today  slashed an import excise duty on vehicles by 50 percent and lifted 15 percent surcharge on all imports by slashing the duty of all electronic products.

Due to the slashing of excise duty customers who are importing Indian Made Marruti Cars now have to pay an excise duty that is   90 percent of the Value of the Car comparing to the early payment of 183 percent of it's value.Cars attracted over 300 in excise duties, import duties, value added taxes, port and airport development levies and national security levies.

A Health Warning To Local Vegetarians

Become a vegetarian in Sri Lanka prone to  many disseses in future as Sri Lankan Vegetarians are consuming little amount of vegetables with a large portion of  rice nutritonists warned."If the youth wants to  become a vegetarian try to consume more vegetables with less rice as in western countries they stressed".

According to a Community health survey conducted in 2006/2007 34.1 percent of sri lankan women in the 15-49 age group are suffering from anemeia and 16.6 are having low weight.This situation leads to low birth weight among the children born to these women according to the survey.Therefore nutritionists warns that Young women should consume sufficient amount of nutritious food to avoid of having malnutrion and other nutrition related disseases.

The month of june is declared as the month of nutrition.

Indian Awards Ceremony To Go Ahead Despite The Threats

The organizers of the International Indian Film Awards(IIFA) Ceremony scheduled to be held in Sri Lanka between 03rd-05 June confirmed today that there will be no change in the venue and the Event will go ahead as planned.The Awards Ceremony is scheduled to be held in Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium in Colombo-13.

There are rumours that the event shifted outside colombo due to the threats of the Pro LTTE Groups.Several South Indian Film Personnale announced that they will  not  attending the Awards Ceremony following the threats of the Activists.However large number of Film Personnel in Northern India announced that they will attending the Event which is known as Indian Oscars.

Buddhists All Over The World Celebrated Wesak To Day

Buddhists all over the world today celebrated the Wesak full moon Poya day which marked the birth,enlightenment and the demise of the Lord Buddha.In Sri Lanka a special religious observances and alms giving were organized to mark this event and Wesak decorations including large Pandoles and lanterns are displayed throughout the capitol Colombo and the outstations.

There are more then ten pandals  displayed within the colombo city.Today and tomorrow are declared as wesak holidays.

Stocks Of Eighty Five Essential Out Of Stock Drugs Due To Arrive Shortly

The stocks of Eighty Five Essential Drugs which are out of stock in  the Government hospitals at present are due to arrive from India within next ten days according to the Medical Supplies Division sources.These Stocks are sufficient for three months the sources further stated.

The stocks of other Drugs which are out of stock due to arrive within short period of time the sources added.There are around three hundrad fifty essential Drugs and Surgical Items which are out of stock at the hospitals and the Medical Supplies Division at present. 

Second Court Martial Case Against General Fonseka Resumed

The second court martial hearing against the formar army commander retired general sarath fonseka began today on the alleged violation of army procurement procedures.The military has not revealed the  further details on the case .The next hearing of the case is to take place on the third week of next month.

Health Ministry Directed SPMC To Sell Their Drugs Through SPC

The Ministry of Health has directed the State pharmaceutical Manufacturing corporation(SPMC) to not to sell their medicinal products to the private sector without the permission of it's  sister company the state pharmaceuticals corporation(SPC).According to the health trade unions the previous management of the pharmaceuticals manufacturing corporation involved in a financial Freud by selling  some of the  52 medicinal drugs they produced to the private pharmacies.

After studying theses incidents Health Minister Maithreepala Sirisena has  directed the SPMC Authorities to stop selling these drugs to the private sector and if they want to sell it should be done through their sister company SPC.

Floods Death Toll Risen To 20 As Heavy Showers Continue

The death toll due to floods risen to 20 today as most of the victims were reported from the Gampaha District.Still the Roads and Houses are under water in the district as well as  most parts of the island as  Heavy showers continues since last night.

Several Displaced centres are set up for the Displaced people almost every flood affected area and government distributed the food and medicine to the needy.

Meanwhile Government has decided to remove all the unauthorized buildings as it caused the floods in most parts of the western province including the capital colombo

General Sarath Fonseka stressed That Forces Not Involved In War Crimes

"Sri Lankan Forces have never committed war crimes during their battle against the LTTE "Former Army Commander Retired general Sarath Fonseka who is imprisoned stated today in a response to a question regarding the Channel-4 allegations.Channel-4 of United Kingdom earlier accused that the Sri Lankan Forces were involved in war crimes during the battle.

Lorry Skids Off The Road In Nuwerta Eliya Left Four People Dead

Four people were dead and twenty eight got injured after a lorry skids off the road at Haguranketha in Nuwara Eliya this evening.