Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Director General Of Health Services Has Instructed All Imported Milk Powder Companies Not To Print Health Minsitry's Name And Governemnt Logo In DCD Free Stickers

The Director General Of Health Services Dr.Palitha Mahipala has instructed all Milk Powder Companies which are importing milk powder to Sri Lanka not to print  the name of  Health Ministry and government logo in the special sticker pasted in their milk powder packets which are proved as DCD Chemical free during the tests.


The Director General of Health Services has instructed on this to all milk powder companies operate in Sri Lanka through a special circular issued on 04th of September 2013.in the same circular all provincial health directors,the director of national health institute and chief medical officers throughout the island were informed to inspect whether the milk powder companies are acting according to the instructions that given.

Meanwhile most of the milk powder products issued to the local market by a foreign milk powder company who is in center of the DCD controversy still carrying the sticker contained the name of the Ministry Of Health and print of the government logo by violating director general's orders it has been revealed.

Monday, September 9, 2013

Health Ministry Has Transfered Surgeons And Anesthasists In Outstaion Hospitals To Prescribe Medicine In Central Dispensaries?

Health Ministry has mixed up this year's annual transfers of government hospital doctors by transferring some experienced surgeons and anesthetists attached in outstation hospitals to prescribe medicine for patients in central dispensaries and OPD's (Out Door Patient Department) of small hospitals according hospital sources.

While these expert surgeons and anesthetists transferred in to unusual places necessary replacements for these transfers too not made by the health authorities by putting patients in those hospitals in to more trouble.due to these transfers majority of hospitals in outstation became paralyzed and long queues have been seen in for surgeries and OPD treatment sources have revealed.

Taking instance a 12 year experienced surgeon served in Diyatahalawa Hospital has been transferred in to  a small hospital OPD  recently without a replacement and now a long awaiting list has created for the first time in the hospital and in OPD Surgical Clinic hospital authorities said.due to this situation only around 20 patients have been checked in two of the Surgical Clinics held in hospital every week sources added.in addition a large number of OPD Medical Officers too transferred in to peripheries without a replacement.  due to this the limited number of medical officers attach to OPD of Diyatahalawa Hospital now asking the patients to continue with same drugs prescribed in last month without checking them as a sufficient number of doctors are not there to treat patients in Clinics it has been reported.

Sunday, September 8, 2013

PSM's To Withdraw Training Of New Entrants From Tomorrow(09)

The Professions Supplementary To Medicine(PSM's)are due to withdraw from training new comers with effect from tomorrow(09) as a protest on not solving five of their longstanding service demands .according to The Joint Council Of Professions Supplementary To Medicine their professions compromising Government Pharmacists,Medical Laboratory Technicians(MLT),Radiographers,Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists have decided to withdraw from training of new entrants due to the delay of Health Authorities to solve their service demands.


Recruiting PSM Graduates to government hospitals and implementing special grade promotions of PSM's are among major demands forwarded by the Union. to the Health Ministry the sources said.

Friday, September 6, 2013

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.

Thursday, September 5, 2013

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.

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

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.

A Sudden Fire Erupted In A Tyre Shop At Armour Street

A sudden fire has broken out at a tyre shop near Armour street in Grandpass this evening (29) causing severe traffic congestion in the area....