Connect with us

News

Americares sends over 2 Tonnes of urgently needed aid to SL

Published

on

Consequent to an official request of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Washington D.C., and under the guidance of His Excellency Ambassador Mahinda Samarasinghe, Americares, the health-focused relief and development organization, has generously donated more than two tons of urgently needed nutritional supplements for pregnant women at risk of malnourishment across Sri Lanka.

An essential treatment recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), multiple micronutrient supplements are critically needed by the Ministry of Health in Sri Lanka to support the nutritional health of pregnant women and to improve birth outcomes for babies. Over 16,000 pregnant women will benefit from the donated nutritional supplements.

In coordination with the Ministry of Health and the Food Commissioners Department in Sri Lanka, the shipment containing more than 2 tons of nutritional supplements from Americares arrived in Colombo on 24 February 2023.

“At a time when nutritional supplements are imperative for the island nation, the people of Sri Lanka and this Embassy express our sincere appreciation and gratitude to Americares for their generous efforts to assist our country,” said His Excellency Ambassador Mahinda Samarasinghe.

In addition, Americares recently delivered a second shipment to Sri Lanka containing nearly 1 ton of medicines to help treat patients with parasitic worm infections. This donation will help treat more than 227,000 patients. “These medicines are in short supply in Sri Lanka and the shipment we received from Americares was put to use immediately to treat patients, especially children,” said Ambassador Samarasinghe.

Americares has a long history of providing assistance to Sri Lanka, including deliveries of medicines, medical supplies and relief items in response to emergencies and ongoing needs.

Americares is a health-focused relief and development organization that saves lives and improves health for people affected by poverty or disaster. Each year, the organization reaches 85 countries on average, including the United States, with life-changing health programs, medicine, medical supplies and emergency aid. Since it was established more than 40 years ago, Americares has provided over $22 billion in aid to 164 countries, including the United States.

News

US embassy – NDDCB conducts training to combat synthetic drug threat

Published

on

By

The U.S. Embassy in Sri Lanka, in collaboration with the National Dangerous Drugs Control Board (NDDCB), concluded a two-week regional training initiative focused on identifying and analyzing synthetic drugs and new psychoactive substances, particularly fentanyl and its analogs – substances that have become an urgent global concern. 

The training culminated in a formal handover ceremony of drug testing equipment, where U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission Jayne Howell, Deputy Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Sunil Watagala, and NDDCB Chairman Dr. Indika Wanninayake presided over the presentation of the Radian ASAP instrument to Sri Lankan authorities. 
As part of the U.S. Department of State-funded regional initiative, Upgrading Forensic Lab Capabilities, the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) has partnered with the Colombo Plan to strengthen synthetic drug detection across South Asia. Forensic professionals from Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bangladesh, and Nepal participated in two weeks of intensive classroom and hands-on training in Colombo to prepare for the installation of advanced drug detection equipment in their national laboratories. 

Each country will receive a Radian ASAP drug testing machine—a compact, cutting-edge system designed for rapid, high-confidence screening of synthetic substances in under a minute. Requiring no complex sample preparation, this technology is ideally suited to detect emerging drug threats efficiently and bolster regional forensic capabilities. 

This initiative aligns with broader U.S. efforts to disrupt the supply chains of synthetic opioids worldwide, reflecting recent White House executive actions taken to combat the global spread of fentanyl. In the United States, these substances have been declared a national emergency, with focused measures to block precursor chemicals and hold illicit producers accountable. 

During the handover ceremony of the drug testing equipment, U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission Jayne Howell stated: “The United States is confronting the fentanyl crisis at home and abroad because the threat knows no borders. That’s why we’re investing in regional partnerships like this one—to stop synthetic drugs before they take hold. Through this initiative, we’re not only sharing advanced tools and training, we’re reinforcing a shared commitment to public health and regional security. This work reflects broader U.S. efforts to disrupt global synthetic opioid supply chains and protect communities across the Indo-Pacific.” 

Equipment donations to labs in Maldives, Bangladesh, and Nepal are scheduled to follow. The U.S. remains committed to strengthening the region’s ability to detect and disrupt synthetic drug flows through technical cooperation and capacity building.

Continue Reading

News

SLTB to recruit female drivers and conductors

Published

on

By

The Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) is to recruit drivers and conductors on a contract basis, the state owned ‘Daily News’ reports.

According to the report, there are 425 vacancies for male drivers and 25 female drivers will also be recruited.

There are 275 vacancies for male conductors and 25 female conductors will also be recruited compulsorily, the report adds.

The report further notes : 

This endeavour aims to strengthen the public transport service, which is currently operational with over 25,000 employees in 107 depots across the country. A newspaper advertisement was published yesterday with the deadline for applications being July 31.
Applicants are required to present their original School Leaving Certificate (Student’s Progress Report) and other educational certificates at the interview.

The SLTB emphasised that incomplete or non-compliant applications will be rejected.

Continue Reading

News

Welfare Benefits Board Chairman resigns?

Published

on

By

The Chairman of the Welfare Benefits Board (WBB) – the body responsible for distributing the ‘Aswesuma’ benefit, has submitted his resignation to the Ministry of Finance, state owned newspaper ‘Silumina’ reports.

Retired special grade officer of Sri Lanka Administrative Service (SLAS) – Mr. Jayantha Wijeratne was recommended for the post by the then President in Aug. 2023.

Following the  approval of the Constitutional Council, the appointment was made through letter PED/S/BDA/2022 issued by the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Economic Stabilization & National Policies.

Meanwhile, 299,532 beneficiaries have been selected for the second phase of the ‘Aswesuma’ program.

Appeals and objections will be accepted until July 21.

(Source: Silumina)

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2024 Sri Lanka Mirror. All Rights Reserved