In keeping with a poison free Sri Lanka, a ceremony to inaugurate toxin-free paddy farming for the 2018 Yala season was held on May 15 in the Angunakolapelessa Yakagala paddy field under the patronage of Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera and Parliamentarian Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera. Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera is reported to have said that strict legal action will be taken against those who attempt to sell subsidized fertilizer at a higher price, during a meeting held recently at the Ministry with the representatives of farmer organizations,
According to the Minister, around 705,370 farmers will be benefitted under this program during this Yala season and 1,103,861.87 acres of land are scheduled to be cultivated. He said, the public could make complaints with regard to errant traders to the Ministry which will take measures to cancel their licences.
Legal action against National Zoo for harmful waste disposal
Acting on a complaint from a member of the Dehiwala Municipal Council that the National Zoological Gardens was disposing all its waste into the drainage, harming the health of the people living around the zoo, the Dehiwala – Mt Lavinia Mayor has been advised to take legal action if the National Zoo fails to find a proper solution to its waste problem within two weeks.
Sri Lankan, US doctors pioneer the first robot assisted surgery on board USNS Mercy
U.S and Sri Lankan surgeons conducted the first ever robot-assisted surgery aboard the USNS Mercy on May 4.The joint team of multinational surgeons and medical professionals successfully completed a cholecystectomy, or gall bladder removal, on a Sri Lankan citizen using a Da Vinci XI Robotic Surgical System. “This landmark surgery advances the boundaries of what is possible through collaboration, skill, and technology,” U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives Atul Keshap, was quoted as saying. “We are proud to partner with Sri Lankan medical professionals on this ground-breaking achievement for the international medical field.”
After the successful completion of the surgery, the patient was transferred to the Mercy’s post-anesthesia care unit to recover, and was later discharged from the ship in excellent condition for routine post-operative follow up care by Dr. Varanitharan.
Pacific Partnership is the largest annual multilateral disaster response preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific. This year’s mission includes military and civilian personnel from Sri Lanka, the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, France, Peru, and Japan. Pacific Partnership 2018 consists of more than 800 U.S. and partner nation military and civilian personnel working side-by-side with host nation counterparts to better prepare for potential humanitarian aid and disaster response situations.
Almost all Lankan children breast fed
In a new analysis released last week by UNICEF, Sri Lanka , Nepal and Bhutan head the list of South Asian countries where babies are likely to be breast fed sometime in their period of infancy and for longer durations.
Sri Lanka has also been described as a middle income country where almost all births take place in a health facility and which also promotes and implements the ten steps of the Baby Friendly Initiative.
UNICEF has recommended that breast feeding should be carried out for two years and beyond as it provides an important source of nutrient for growth and development and can prevent half of premature deaths among children under five years. Breast feeding also protects the mother from breast cancer, UNICEF Regional Director for South Asia has said.
1990 Suwaseriya Foundation gazetted
A new Bill to provide for the establishment of the 1990 Suwaseriya Foundation was gazetted by the government last week. The Suwaseriya Foundation is to provide pre-hospital care ambulance services and emergency response services free of charge to any person. It also provides immediate and effective pre hospital care in a safe and clinical working environment until a person reaches the nearest health care provider.
Earlier, the services were limited to the Western and Southern Provinces but are now expected to extend to the whole island .
The Bill will be presented to Parliament for the first Reading at a later date.
Unidentified virus kills five children at Karapiyiya Hospital
An unidentified virus has led to the deaths of five children in Ward 1 of the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital in Galle over the last few days.
Hospital sources have said more children are currently suffering in the same Ward. Doctors say, they are still uncertain if the children caught the virus while in the Ward or whether it was the result of any other infection from a disease they were already suffering from.
Meanwhile, part of the Hospital is said to have gone under water due to heavy rains now being experienced in Galle.