News
GMOA asks govt. not to allow foreigners here for quarantine purposes
Allowing foreigners to arrive in the country for quarantine purposes might have disastrous consequences and expert advice should have been sought before making such a decision, Secretary of the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) Dr. Senal Fernando said.
Dr. Fernando said that his association had held a discussion with the Director General – Health Services on Thursday and suggested that PCR testing and random testing be increased to identify new cases and to understand the real situation in the country.
“The government must not hesitate to enforce travel restrictions based on trends and when such decisions are taken a mechanism must be devised to communicate with regional medical officers.”
The GMOA official said that the government should also re-evaluate the policy of sending all COVID-19 cases to treatment centres. Currently, asymptomatic cases and those who showed symptoms are all sent to treatment centres and re-evaluating the process might help ensure that health sector capacity is not exceeded.
“We must also update the discharge criteria and identify short and long term solutions to increase ward beds and ICU beds at treatment centres. The Ministry of Health must also ensure that frontline health workers have enough PPE kits and enough oxygen stocks are available. Then there are hospitals that are short staffed and the Ministry must appoint medical students who have completed their internship period and are awaiting appointments.”.
The government must also communicate the gravity of the situation to the general public and take steps to enforce quarantine laws strictly, Dr. Fernando said. (RK)
A discussion with the Catholic Council was held on Thursday (21) afternoon at the Presidential Secretariat under the co-chairmanship of Minister of Science and Technology, Chrishantha Abeysena and Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake.
Discussions focused on administrative issues relating to Catholic schools taken over by the Government, the formulation of a structured teacher cadre system for Catholic religious education, the need to recruit Catholic nuns and priests into the teaching profession and the establishment of a mechanism to obtain the support of the Ministry of Education for the administration of Government-acquired Catholic schools.
It was also decided that discussions with the Catholic Council would be held three times annually, while Senior Additional Secretary to the President Roshan Gamage would serve as Secretary to the forum.
Expressing appreciation on behalf of the Catholic Council, His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith thanked President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the Government for facilitating the discussion.
His Eminence further stated that the expectation was to ensure every student, without discrimination, is given the opportunity to learn his or her own religion and stressed the importance of resolving the prevailing issues within the education sector.
Also present at the occasion were Most Rev. Bishop Harold Anthony Perera, Most Rev. Bishop Christy Noel Emmanuel, Most Rev. Bishop Anton Ranjith, Most Rev. Bishop Wimal Siri Jayasuriya, other clergy representing the Catholic Council, Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Nalaka Kaluwewa and senior officials of the Ministry of Education.
(PMD)
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has decided to broaden the Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy, which was launched last year. Unlike the inaugural edition held in November 2025 that featured eight Associate teams, the second edition will comprise 10 teams, including five Test-playing nations. The tournament is scheduled to be held in November this year.
Italian Navy’s ITS GIOVANNI DELLE BANDE NERE, which arrived in Colombo (21 May 2026) on a replenishment visit, departed the island today (22 May).
The Sri Lanka Navy bade a customary farewell to the departing ship in compliance with naval traditions at the port of Colombo.
During her brief stay in Colombo, the Commanding Officer of the ship, Commander Antonio BUFIS called on the Commander Western Naval Area at the Western Naval Command Headquarters.
Catholic Council reconvenes after nine years
ICC to widen Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy
Italian Navy’s ITS GIOVANNI DELLE BANDE NERE departs following replenishment visit
PM meets Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations
Tennessee execution called off after failed lethal injection
Landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Kegalle, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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