The Ministry of Health has announced that the Meningococcal vaccine is now mandatory for all foreign workers entering Bahrain, including Sri Lankans.

The Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau, in coordination with the Sri Lankan Embassy in Bahrain and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will implement the vaccination program based on guidelines from Bahrain and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

Meningococcal disease, caused by the Neisseria meningitidis bacterium, is a severe infection with a high mortality rate if untreated.

The GCC recommends vaccination to prevent outbreaks, especially in regions with large migrant worker populations.

Bahrain remains a key employment destination for Sri Lankans, with over 4,000 workers departing for Bahrain in 2024 alone.

The suspect arrested in connection with the sexual assault on a female doctor of the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital has been ordered to be further remanded until March 28, 2025.

This order was issued after he was produced before the Anuradhapura Magistrate’s Court today (March 24).

Meanwhile, the suspect’s identification parade, which was rescheduled for today, had been cancelled after the victim had not attended.

The Committee on High Posts, which met in Parliament recently (March 21), has approved the nominations to appoint two Ambassadors and a High Commissioner. 

The Committee also approved the nomination to appoint the Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in New York.
Accordingly, the nominations of Mr. Ratnayake Mudiyanselage Mahinda Dasa Ratnayake, to be appointed as the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Republic of Cuba and Professor Pivithuru Janak Kumarasinghe, to be appointed as the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Japan were approved by the Committee on High Posts.

The nomination of Mr. Senadheera Dumunnage Nimal Upali Senadheera, to be appointed as the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was also approved by the Committee on High Posts.

Furthermore, the Committee on High Posts approved the nomination of former Chief Justice Jayantha Chandrasiri Jayasuriya P.C to be appointed as the Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in New York, the United States of America.