News

Leprosy cases in SL increase in 2023

Published

1 year ago

September 7, 2023

editor

Sri Lankan health officials have observed a significant increase in leprosy cases in 2023.

Officials said that a total of 864 patients were detected during the first seven months of the year, and 161 of these patients were from Colombo.

The Anti Leprosy Campaign at Sri Lanka’s Health Ministry said that 47 leprosy patients were recorded from the Egodawela MOH zone alone.

In a media briefing held last month, the Health Promotion Bureau stated that the highest number of Leprosy patients recorded this year were found from the Moratuwa area in Colombo District.

Speaking at the media briefing, Moratuwa MoH Manjula Thillakaratne had said that 51 Leprosy patients were recorded from Moratuwa and 08 of them were children under the age of 14 years.

Dr. Prasad Ranaweera from the Anti Leprosy Campaign said an awareness campaign will commence in the Western Province next week.

Although Sri Lanka eliminated leprosy in 1995, after having achieved the elimination target of less than one case of leprosy per 10,000 of the population, recent statistics point to a rising trend in leprosy incidence, said the World Health Organization (WHO) in January 2023.

Sri Lanka has been recognized by WHO as one of 23 “global priority countries” for Leprosy, emphasizing the need for targeted efforts to sustain elimination status and a final push towards ending Leprosy in the country.

News

2 Chinese nationals arrested at BIA with gems worth over Rs. 17 mn.

Published

11 hours ago

January 14, 2025

editor

Two Chinese nationals have been nabbed at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) last night (Jan. 13) after attempting smuggle a stock of gemstones out of the country.

The customs officers had apprehended the 45-year-old male and his 21-year-old daughter who had hidden gemstones in their undergarments, reports say.

According to Sri Lanka Customs, he stock of gemstones includes Moonstones, Hessonite Garnets, Star Sapphires, Cats Eyes and Emeralds weighing around 689.5 grams in total and valued around Rs. 17,450,875.

News

100 families in Suduwella village, evacuated

Published

11 hours ago

January 14, 2025

editor

100 families residing in Suduwella village, Gal Oya have been evacuated to safety, District Secretary of Ampara District, Chinthaka Abeywickrama says.
Noting that the Gal Oya is near to breaching its banks, Mr. Abeywickrama has said that the evacuation was done in the face of a possible flood situation.

Meanwhile, the banks of the Gal Oya have been severely eroded in the Kota Vehera area.

News

Samarasinghe blames previous govt. again for red rice shortage

Published

11 hours ago

January 14, 2025

editor

Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development Wasantha Samarasinghe has yet again blamed the previous government for the current shortage of red rice in the local market.

Speaking to media, the minister criticised a policy implemented by the previous government that distributed 20 kg of red rice to households indiscriminately.

However, he has assured the public that the situation will improve soon and that the supply will normalise in the coming months.

“Red rice is an essential food item, especially during the Thai Pongal celebrations, and we are aware of the anxiety caused by this shortage. Plans are afoot to stabilize supply ahead of upcoming harvests,” Samarasinghe stated.