Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist at Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children (LRH), Dr. Swarna Wijethunga stated that the number of reported cases of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Sri Lanka appears to be rising daily.

She said this during a press conference held at the Health Promotion Bureau in view of the World Autism Awareness Day.

Dr. Wijethunga highlighted that a survey conducted in Sri Lanka in 2009 showed that one in 93 children was identified to have been diagnosed with autism.

“A survey conducted in 2009 showed that one in 93 children in Sri Lanka had this condition. Afterwards, the survey was not conducted systematically. Now it has been restarted, and we will get a different result… Autism cases are on the rise globally… We feel it is the same in Sri Lanka and that the number of cases are increasing day by day.” 

Dr. Wijethunga also emphasized that early detection between 2.5 to 5 years can lead to significant improvement in 90% of cases.

Meanwhile, Community Health Specialist at the Child and Family Health Bureau, Dr. Asiri Hewamalage pointed out that the contribution of parents is crucial in identifying children with autism and other neurological medical conditions.

The Department of Railways has planned to operate a special train service starting from April 11 for the convenience of passengers traveling to their hometowns for the upcoming Sinhala and Tamil New Year.

From April 11 to 13, special trains will be deployed from Colombo to Badulla, Anuradhapura, Galle, Kandy, and Beliatta.

Additionally, to facilitate the return of passengers to Colombo after the New Year holidays, special trains will also be operated from April 18 to 20.

Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) stated that 500 additional buses will be deployed from April 09 to assist those traveling to their hometowns for the festive period.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi says that the ‘multifaceted India-Sri Lanka friendship’ will be reviewed during his upcoming visit to Sri Lanka.

A X message by PM Modi states : “My visit to Sri Lanka will take place from the 4th till the 6th. This visit comes after the successful visit of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to India. We will review the multifaceted India-Sri Lanka friendship and discuss newer avenues of cooperation. I look forward to the various meetings there.”

PM Modi is to arrive in Sri Lanka after an official visit to Thailand to attend the 6th BIMSTEC summit.

My visit to Sri Lanka will take place from the 4th till the 6th. This visit comes after the successful visit of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to India. We will review the multifaceted India-Sri Lanka friendship and discuss newer avenues of cooperation. I look forward to the…

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 3, 2025