Sick Note Campaign Of Perfusionists Stilled 20 Major Heart Surgeries In Government Hospiatals

Due to the two day sick note campaign launched by perfusionists attach to government hospitals around 20 major heart surgeries including Bypass  Surgeries performed in Colombo National,Karapitiya Teaching and Kandy General Hospitals  have been cancelled today according to hospital sources.only emergency heart surgeries have been performed in these hospitals today sources added.

Due to this situation thousands of heart patients awaiting in government hospital awaiting lists have  suffered immensely  and the lists have subjected to be  extended due to the cancellation of surgeries hospitals sources revealed.

Thirty Five Perfusionists attach to these government hospitals have launched a  two day sick note campaign this morning by demanding fair solutions for three of their service demands namely removing their salary anomaly,requesting a risk allowance and permanent extra services allowance for them.

If the demands of perfusionists have not meet during this trade union action perfusionists will not participating on call heart surgeries in near future the president of Government Perfusionsist Union Mrs.Kamani Gunarathne has said.the sick note campaign scheduled to  be continued tomorrow(27) as well.

Government Hospital Perfusionists To Launch Two Day Sick Note Campaign On This Monday And Tuesday

All Government Hospital Perfusionists who are operating heart lung machines during open heart surgeries are to launch a two day sick note campaign on this Monday(26) and Tuesday(27) by demanding solutions for three of their long standing service demands.according to government perfusionists union their personal attach to Colombo National Hospital,Karapitiya Teaching Hospital and Kandy General Hospital where heart surgeries  performing will launch this two day sick note campaign .


Due to this two day sick note campaign all open heart surgeries performed in those government hospitals will be stopped according to the perfusionist union.however the emergency heart surgeries will perform as usual union has said.

Government Hospital Perfusionists are going to  launch this trade union action by demanding removing of their salary anomalies,requesting a risk and extra services allowances for them .the perfusionists attached to Lady Ridgway Children's Hospital will not participate this trade union action due to humanitarian reasons government perfusionists have said.if their demands are not meet during  the strike perfusionists have decided to avoid of attending on call heart surgeries a spokesman of government perfusionists union has said.

Gampaha District Court Has Lifted Enjoin Order Against Fontera

The Gampaha District Court which has issued an enjoin order against fonterra brands sri lanka  private limited on last friday from banning advertising,distributing and selling of their milk powder products in the country has lifted the said court order this evening .

However  the district court has re issued notices for five of the fonterra sri lanka board of directors to be presented in Court on 25th of September on contempt of court charges.the court case on contempt of court charges against fonterra was filed by lawyers of  Government Nursing Officers Association which requested the enjoin order from  court last week.

The New Zealand based dairy company fonterra has earlier announced  today that they have suspended it's operations in Sri Lanka.

Fonterra New Zealand Had Suspended Their Operations In Sri Lanka

The Fonterra New Zealand Company has announced today(23) that they had temporarily suspended their operations in Sri Lanka with immediate effect due to the unstable situation for their company.last Friday(16) gampha district court in Sri Lanka has issued an enjoin order to Fonterra Company Sri Lanka banning advertising,distributing and selling of all their milk powder products for 14 days.

Afterwards the lawyers of  the plaintiffs in case filed against fonterra have produced evidence to the court stating the company has violated court order and advertised and sold their products in the market.this lead to a separate case filed against fonterra on contempt of court.

The chief executive of fonterra new Zealand theo speirings has said on their decision to suspend operations it was taken to ensure  safety of 755 local workers attach to the sri lankan plant and to secure company's assets.legal action is underway to resolving the order spierings has said.fonterra new zealand has already closed down their plants and office in Biyagama , Sri Lanka and have asked their workers to stay at home according to sources.

Recent developments occurred regarding fonterra products in Sri Lanka have made difficult to maintain their day to day operations here spierings further added.

Four Varities Of Milk Powder Removed From The Market Contaminated With DCD During September - December 2012

The four varieties of  imported milk powder  found as contaminated with DCD agro chemical were manufactured during  September to December 2012 when the New Zealand dairy farmers used DCD on grass eaten by the dairy cattle according to Director of Industrial Technology Institute G.A.S Premakumara.however the stock of imported milk powder recently found as DCD free were manufactured after the June 2013 he added.

DCD free milk powder stocks were imported to  the country after the new zealand has decided to  stop using DCD to the green grass eaten by cows dr.premakumara has said.

"People should not mixed up with this issue as after 01st of June  DCD  is no longer using in New Zealand dairy farms ,the milk powder stock imported from New Zealand after 01st of June has cleared for DCD" he has stressed.the Thaliand which has said to be  tested imported milk powder samples sent by Sri Lankan Health Ministry too tested samples of milk powder produced after 01st of June it has been revealed.refusing the claims made by one of the foreign milk powder companies operated here  that the ITI has not having state of the art equipment facilities for testing DCD,dr.premakumara has said the institute is not only equipped with modern technology to test DCD, facilities are there to test Bacteria in Whey Protein too .

Five Directors Of Fonterra Sri Lanka Received Notices For Contempt Of Court

The District Court in Gampaha which has issued an enjoin order against Fonterra Brand Sri Lanka Private Limited today issued notices for five of the board of directors in Fonterra on charges of contempt of court.

Notices were issued to the fonterra directors for charges of distributing leaflets among public on fonterra brand milk powder products during 17 to 19 august and issuing of a press release to media organizations claiming their products as 100% safe for consumption despite the enjoin order issued by the court on 16th of august preventing distributing,selling and advertising all milk products of the said company.after the lawyers of plaintiffs who filed the court case against fonterra produced evidence for these charges before court today the district judge has issued notices for five directors of fonterra Sri Lanka.

The enjoin order issued against fonterra will  remain until 30th of August  while the court case will be heard  again on this Friday.

GMOA To Handover A Food Safety Policy To Healh Minister

The Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) is due to handover the policy of  food safety in Sri Lanka contained with eight proposals to the health minister maithripala sirisena on this Thursday(22)according to the media spokesman of GMOA Dr.Naveen Soyza. the policy made by GMOA has  compromising   eight proposals on food safety including the promoting of using liquid milk in the country,training doctors in the fields of toxicology and nutrition and strengthening the regulations in food act.

GMOA is  also planning  to have  a debate among professionals on the proposed food safety policy.

Interim Order Against Fonterra On Banning Advertising Their Milk Powder Products Extended

The Court Of Appeal has today(19) extended the interim order issued to Fonterra Brands Sri Lanka Private Limited from banning advertising their milk powder products in print and electronic media as 100% safe till 02nd of September.the court has previously issued the said interim order  on 08th of August  per a request made by an architect Mr.Saliya Samarasinha through a petition filed by him in the court.the previous interim order issued till 21 st of August.

The petition filed against fonterra company has began it's hearing today before two judge panel compromising chairman of court of appeal skandaraja and malini gunarathne.attorney at law upul jayasuriya who appeared behalf of the plaintiff has said his client will produced documents to courts against fonterra accusing them of contempt of court by not implementing the  interim order .the tests carried out in new zealand on milk powder products produced by them have proved that the products have  contained DCD agro chemical which is harmful for human consumption attorney jayasuriya has said.

The proceedings of the case scheduled to be  resumed on 02nd of September.

A Large Stock Of Whey Protein Contained Milk Powder and Milk Products Have Removed From Sales Oulets

The Public Health Inspectors have taken 142,426 packs/bottles of Whey Protein and Whey Powder contained Milk Powder,Milk Products and drinks in to custody during last week and sealed them according to Sri Lanka Public Health Officers Union .the secretary of the Union Mr.Senerath Bandara has said that these Milk Products and Drinks were taken into custody during the raids carried  out in 10,719 sales outlets throughout the island.

During these raids public health inspectors have removed 63,266 slabs of Whey Powder contained Chocolates,19,256 packets of Milk Powder,19,351 packets of Infant Milk Powder ,20,591 bottles of liquid milk products ,14,516  packets of milk products and 5446 bottles /Cannes of Energy Drinks Mr.Senerath has said.these Whey Protein and Whey Powder contained Milk Powder and Milk Products will be out of shelves in all sales outlets throughout the island until investigation on these products completed he has stressed.

It has been reported that the Bacteria "Clostredium Boulinum" entered in to some batches of a  infant formula produced by the  giant dairy factory in New Zealand and distributed to foreign markets.due to this situation sri lanka too taken steps to investigate whether the imported milk powders in local market too contaminated with the bacteria .

Already around 250 samples of milk powder available in the market have sent to Medical Research Institute in Colombo for Bacteria  tests.

 A  Stock Of 142,426 Whey Protein Contained Milk Powder/Milk Products Hve Been Removed From The Market

Enjoin Order Has Been Issued Preventing Fonterra From Distributing,Selling And Advertising Their milk Products

The Gampaha District court Judge has today (16) issued an enjoin  order preventing distributing ,selling and advertising all milk powder and milk products produced by Fonterra Company in local market for 14 days.this enjoin order was issued according to the request made by Government Nursing Officers Union though the court case filed bythem.

Government Nursing Officers Union today has filed a case in Gampaha District Court against Fonterra Brands Sri Lanka Private Limited for advertising their milk powder products as free from DCD Chemical and Botulism bacteria although their parent company in New Zealand has accepted their products are contaminated with them.the court order will stand till 30th of August.

Even the New Zealand based fonterra company has recalled  their milk powder products from countries like  China,Hong Kong,Russia,Vietnam and Thailand and also apologized them for contaminating their  milk powder products with bacteria but the sri lankan fonterra still not ready to accept this bitter truth the plaintiffs  charged.also the ministry of primary industries in new zealand too accepted  that fonterra products have contaminated with DCD recently they said.

As fonterra brands Sri Lanka Limited has trying to mislead sri lankan consumers through false advertisements by stating their milk powder products are free from chemicals and bacterias the government nursing officers union has urged the district court to issue injunction  and enjoin orders preventing fonterra company in sri lanka by distributing,selling and advertising their products for 14 days until 30th of August .

The court case is scheduled to be heard on 30th  August.President of Government Nursing Officers Union Saman Ratnapriya,secretary and the union treasurer are the plaintiffs of this case while   Fonterra Brands Sri Lanka Limited situated in no.100,Delgoda Road Biyagama ,Sri Lanka and it's general manager Leon Clement were the respondents of the case.

162,500 Low Quality Blood Transfusion Kits Have Distributed Among Major Government Hospitals

Around 162,500 low quality Blood Transfusion Kits have been purchased from a Company in Singapore and distributed among major government hospitals throughout the island the Health Services Trade Union Alliance (HSTUA) has said.the said stock of low quality blood transfusion kits are having small hole each and they are covered with sticker pasted on the hole the alliance revealed.

According to the president of HSTUA Mr.Saman Rathnapriya through this unsafe low quality blood transfusion kits blood donor as well as the blood recipient will face health problems .medical supplies division of the Ministry Of Health which purchased these blood kits for  Rs.42.28 per a kit purchased the stock on 15th of July this year.the expiry date of the said blood transfusion kits are May 2016 he has said.the health services trade union alliance has appealed from the health minister and health ministry secretary to investigate on the said stock of low quality blood transfusion kits before allow government hospitals to use them.

Government Nursing Officers Union To Go To Courts Against Fonterra

Government Nursing Officers Union has decided to filed court case against New Zealand Milk Powder Manufacture Fonterra withing next few days for  contempt of court by advertising their milk products as free from  DCD Chemical and Clostredium Bacteria even after investigations have revealed that the said products are contaminated with them.

speaking at a press briefing held in Colombo this noon the president of Nursing Officers Union Saman Ratnapriya has said that Fonterra Company has trying to mislead the general public in Sri Lanka by advertising false facts on their products while the parent company of Fonterra in Ne
w Zealand has accepted that some of their milk products have contaminated with DCD Chemical and Clostredium Bacteria.he has questioned on the double standard the company has adapted  on the issue in here and abroad.

Even the New Zealand government and Fonterra Company have apologized from the countries like China,Hong Kong Russia and Vietnam for exporting Whey Protein contained Milk Powders contaminated with Bacteria for them he has stressed.

All DCD Contaminated Milk Powder Products Removed From Local Marcket - Sri Lanka Public Health Officers Assocaition

Milk Powder Packets belongs to the batches of all 4 brands of imported milk powder proved as contaminated with DCD Chemical have removed completely from the local market  according to Sri Lanka Public Health Inspectors Association.speaking at a press briefing held in Sri Lanka Foundation Institute in Colombo the president of the association Mr.U.G Rohana has said that although dcd contaminated milk powder packets have been removed from local market their officers throughout the island numbering 1860 will keep on inspecting whether those milk powder packets still selling in groceries and super markets.

However he has stressed that public health inspectors association could not guarantee that milk powder available in local market are safe for consumption until the investigations on them completed .the samples of all imported milk powders available in island wide will be sent to Industrial Technology Institute(ITI) for dcd tests he has revealed.

Meanwhile as the director general of health services Dr.Palitha Mahipala has instructed milk powder and food companies to withdraw all milk powder products which contained whey protein due to the suspicion that they might contains closterdium bacteria all milk product samples have been sending to Medical Research Institute in Colombo for the bacteria test mr rohana said.

The chief medical officer in Colombo Dr.Pradeep Kariyawasam has said that the public health department in Colombo has sent samples of 23 milk powder products today(13) to the medical research institute for clostredium bacteria test.

Director General Of Health Services Instructed All Milk Powder/Food Companies To Remove Stocks Of Whey Protein Contained Milk Products From Market

The Director General Of Health Services(DGHS) Dr.Palitha Mahipala has today(12) instructed all the milk powder/food  manufacturers and distributors to remove all the stocks of Milk Powder , High Protein Milk Supplements and food items contains "Whey Protein and Whey Powder with immediate effect until investigations on the said products are over.

At present Medical Research Institute(MRI) in Colombo has conducting an investigations on the  said products to see whether they are contaminated with "Clostredium" Bacteria which entered few batches of infant formula produced by one of the major dairy milk powder companies  in New Zealand through a dirt pipe line.

As Director General Of Health Services Dr.Mahipala has instructed the customs last week to withheld releasing of all imported milk powder stocks from new zealand until the investigations on presence of  clostredium bacteria in milk products concluded, still a large number of super markets and groceries selling those milk products to consumers freely it has been revealed.due to this dr.mahipala strictly advised the milk powder companies and food manufacturers to withdraw all milk powders milk supplements and food items like chocolates,biscuits,toffees,cheese and butter contains whey protein and whey powder with immediate effect.

Also people are advised to check in food labels of Milk Products like Chocolates,Toffees ,Biscuits,Cheese and Butter to see whether they contains whey protein else whey powder.if a product found contains those ingredients people should avoid buying it dr,mahipala has said.

The Industrial Technology Institute (ITI) has conducting an investigations on the presence of DCD Chemical in Milk Powders and Medical Research Institute (MRI) has investigating the presence of bacteria contaminated whey protein in imported milk powder products.

Samples Of All Imported Milk Powder Products Are Been Sent To ITI And MRI For Poisonous Tests

Samples of all imported milk powder products available in local market are been  sent  to Industrial Technology Institute(ITI) and to Medical Research Institute in Colombo for DCD and Clostredium Bacteria tests respectively according to government food inspectors.Ministry Of Health has instructed authorities to send samples of all milk powder products available in market for the tests  last Wednesday following the ITI report which stated agro chemical DCD has  found in 4 brands of  imported milk powder products .

Meanwhile a senior food inspector has told that Milk Powder Companies imported the said 4 brands of Milk Powder Products have currently withdrawing the batches of those milk powders proved as contaminated with DCD Chemical from the market.

Police Curfew Imposed Following A Clash Between Two Groups In Grandpass Area

A police curfew was imposed until 7 a.m tomorrow in Grandpass-Kosgashandiya Junction few hours back following a clash erupted  between two groups in the area according to the police sources.five people including two police officers were injured in the incident and admitted to Colombo National Hospital sources added.

Several Buildings and Vehicles were damaged due to the clash sources revealed.

Fonterra Compnay To Withdraw DCD Contaminated Milk Powder Products From Market

Fonterra Company in Sri Lanka has decided to withdraw certain batches of their milk powder products Anchor and Anchor 1+ which confirmed as contaminated with agro chemical "Dyciadanmite"(DCD) with immediate effect according to company sources.company made this decision  following the directive issued by Director General Of Health Services Dr.Palitha Mahipala yesterday(08) he has urged the milk powder companies to  withdraw the contaminated batches of 4 imported milk powder products including  Anchor and Anchor1+ based on the research findings of Industrial Technology Institute(ITI).

Dr.Mahipala has  also appealed from all media institutions in the country to refrain from publishing milk powder advertisements until further notice due to the crisis situation occurred in milk powder industry here.

Meanwhile the Director General Of Health Services with Food Advisory Committee has issued the names and batches of DCD Contaminated milk powders in the market which should withdraw from the market.the DCD Contaminated milk powder products are as follows.
Anchor Full Cream Milk Powder (batch no.0605C0883) and Anchor One Plus (Batch no.107610163) manufactured by Fonterra-New Zealand  , Maliban Non-Fat Milk (batch no.13074A1) and Diamond Milk Powder (batch no. NW1F1PDX1)

Director general Of Health Services Has Instructed Provincial Health directors To Inspect Withdrawing Of Contaminated Milk

The Director General Of Health Services Dr.Palitha Mahipala has instructed all provincial health directors and regional directors as well as the Chief Medical Officer of Colombo to inspect  the withdrawing of  milk powders belongs to 3 milk powder companies that proved as contaminated with DCD Agro Chemical.the imported  milk powder products which are identified  as contaminated with  DCD  are Anchor.Anchor 1+.Maliban Non fat and Diamond milk powders .

Director General Of Health Services  has yesterday (07) ordered 3 milk powder companies namely Anchor-Fonterra,Maliban and Mudalige limited to withdraw their products from the local market following the research report issued by industrial technology institute  confirming the presence of DCD in them..

Court Of Appeal Has Issued An Interim Order Preventing Fonterra From Advertising Their Milk Powder Products

The Court Of Appeal has today (08) issued an interim order preventing New Zealand Milk Powder manufacturer Fonterra from advertising any of their milk powder products in both print and electronic media until  21st of August.court has issued this order after considering a petition filed by architect saliya samrasinha of Matale by stating that public is mislead due to the advertisements published and broadcast by  fonterra in print and electronic media  when a safety problem regarding imported  milk powder products arise in the country.

The petitioner has claimed in his petition that the Fonterra is advertising  their milk powder products as  100% safe  for consumption whenever a  news item appear those milk powders are contaminated with DCD agro chemical .this situation is not good for public and should avoid it the petitioner has said.

Health Ministry Has Ordered The Milk Powder Companies To Withdraw DCD Contaminated Milk Powder Products

The Ministry Of Health has today(07) ordered milk powder importers Fonterra,Maliban and Diamond to withdraw their milk powder stocks which found contaminated with agro chemical Dyciadanamite" (DCD) from the market with immediate effect.further ministry itself decided to send all samples of Milk Powder and other food items to local Industrial Technology Institute(ITI) instead of sending them to foreign labs.

According to the Ministry Sources the Food Advisory Committee which met yesterday evening has decided to restarted  the research on presence of DCD in all imported milk powders as well as on the presence of bacteria infected whey protein with immediate effect.if any of the imported milk powders found to be contaminated with DCD else bacteria infected whey protein the future action will be decided according to it ministry has stressed.

Meanwhile Health Minister Maithrepala Sirisena has promised to the government medical officers association (GMOA) that all DCD Contaminated imported milk powders in the local market will be withdrawn and steps will be taken to promote liquid milk among public.

Director General Of Health Services Appealed All Media Institutions To Refrain Publishing/Broadcasting Milk Powder Ads

Director General Of Health Services Dr.Palitha Mahipala has today(07) appealed from the local print and electronic media to refrain from publishing and broadcasting  milk powder advertisements until further notice due to the misleading advertisements published by some milk powder companies in present crisis situation.

Director General Of Health Services has said through a press release issued to the media this evening that in a situation that reported an agro chemical Dyciadanamite"(DCD) and bacteria infected whey protein contained in some imported milk products few milk powders advertised not only mislead public it also becomes a threat to food safety in the country .therefor he appealed all heads of the media institutions to cooperate by refrain from publishing and broadcasting milk powder advertisements until further notice.

GMOA Has Condemned The Health Ministry's Delay On Withdrawing DCD Contaminated Milk Powder

Government Medical Officers Association(GMOA) has today(06)again condemned the health ministry's delay on  withdrawing  the stock of imported milk powder which were confirmed as contaminated with agro chemical Dycianadamite (DCD) from local market .the milk by products produced  by those milk powder companies including cheese,yoghurt and ice cream too may have contaminated with DCD and authorities should inquire on that also he said.

Addressing a press briefing held in GMOA Office in Colombo this noon the president of GMOA Dr.Anurudda Padeniya has said that although the Industrial Technology Institute (ITI) has confirmed from their research report issued on 26th of July that a four varieties of Milk Powder in local market are contaminated with DCD health authorities still trying to sideline the report behalf of milk powder comapnies.

"Some higher officials in the ministry itself were bribed by these milk powder companies to retain their milk powders in the market" he has stated. the GMOA President has appealed the health minister to take stern action against those who sidelined the ITI Report findings,GMOA has sent a written letter to the minister yesterday(05) by  requesting an impartial inquiry against  those ministry officials.

Over 1000 Unqualified MLT'S Employed In Private Hospitals

More than 1000 unqualified medical laboratory technicians(MLT) have been employed in private hospitals throughout the island according to government medical laboratory technicians association.due to these unqualified MLT's the laboratory tests done through  most of the private hospitals are not in good quality charged Saman Jayasekera a senior MLT working in  Colombo National Hospital.

"Health Ministry should have take action against these unqualified Private Hospital MLT's to ensure the  quality of lab tests performs in the private sector " mr.jayasekera has further said.