News

Data Protection Authority comes into operation

Published

2 months ago

July 25, 2023

editor

Sri Lanka’s new Data Protection Authority has come into operation following a gazette issued by President Ranil Wickremesinghe in his capacity as Minister of Technology.

A gazette notification dated July 19 said that provisions of part V of the Personal data Protection act, No. 9 of 2022 comes into operation from July 17 onwards.

“By virtue of the powers vested in me by Subsection (5) of Section 1 of the Personal data Protection act, No. 9 of 2022, read with paragraph (3) of article 44 of the Constitution of the democratic Socialist republic of Sri lanka, I, Minister of Technology, Ranil Wickremesinghe, do by this Order, appoint July 17, 2023 as the date on which the provisions of Part V of the aforesaid act shall come into operation,” the gazette signed by President Wickremesinghe said.

Part V of the act deals with the establishment of a Data Protection Authority, first proposed in November 2022.

Section (1) of Part V reads: “There shall be established an authority which shall be called the Data Protection Authority of Sri Lanka for the purposes of this Act.

Section (2) reads: “The Authority shall, by the name assigned to it by subsection (1), be a body corporate and shall have perpetual succession and a common seal and may sue and be sued in such name.”

Wickremesinghe told parliament in November that the government would take steps to set up the Data Protection Authority in 2023 and the body would be independent and engaged with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Securities and Exchange Commission, Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRCSL) and all relevant sectoral regulators to ensure a proper governance of personal data.

Sri Lanka parliament enacted the Data Protection Act aiming to promote a digital economy amid concerns raised over the privacy of individuals and adverse impact on media reporting on March 10, 2022

The bill was passed without a vote after a raft of amendments was made to the original version.

(economynext.com)

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(Except for the headline, this story, originally published by economynext.com has not been edited by SLM staff)

News

Number of rabies deaths on the rise

Published

1 hour ago

September 21, 2023

editor

The Ministry of Health said that the number of people who have died from rabies has increased in the last few years.

Dr. Heshan Guruge, medical officer of the Anti-Rabies Division, said that the lack of knowledge about rabies as well as the bites of animals other than dogs have led to the increase in these deaths.

Dr. Guruge expressed these views while attending a discussion held yesterday (20) at the Health Promotion Bureau in conjunction with the World Rabies Day on September 28.

“When studying the human deaths that happened in the last few years due to rabies, we can see that a number of animals other than dogs have bit them. In some cases, it is not even possible to know who the animal is. Several people who had passed out after being drunk had been bitten by some animal. After a few days, the symptoms of rabies develop. Several such incidents were reported in the last two or three years. Proper first aid should be given in case of any animal bite. Wash the wound with soap and water. If you have alcohol at home, an iodine solution like betadine, surgical spirit, or an antiseptic liquid like hydrogen peroxide, you can use it. Then go to a hospital. If we do this, we can eliminate rabies from Sri Lanka,” he said.

Don’t get closer to new pets for two weeks

Meanwhile, Dr. Athula Liyanapathirana, community specialist of the Epidemiology Unit, said that 12 people have died due to rabies in 2023 so far.

He said that there is a risk of contracting rabies from the bites of all mammals.

The Anti-rabies Unit said that 25 to 30 people die from rabies every year.

The Epidemiology Unit requested the people not to get closer to pets such as dogs and cats for 14 days after bringing them home.

Arrangements should be made to vaccine the dogs against rabies before a period of four weeks has passed.

When bitten by a dog, the area should be washed and cleaned with soap for ten minutes, and after that it is important to seek medical treatment immediately.