News

GMOA: Hospitals overflowing with NCD patients

Published

4 years ago

2022/08/20

By Samarakoon Bandara

A large number of persons with Non Communicable Diseases (NCD) are not taking prescribed medicines due to economic difficulties, and thus hospitals are filling up due to complications, Dr. Palitha Rajapaksha, the assistant secretary of the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) says.

There were about three million people, over 60 years, and they were the most affected by NCDs, Dr. Rajapaksha said, adding that Sri Lanka had very weak social safety nets and many were at the risk of being reduced to poverty.

Dr. Rajapaksha said that he was attached to the Provincial General Hospital, Badulla, and that all wards there were full of patients with diabetes, high blood pressure, heart conditions, etc.

“All wards are full. I don’t know what we would do if the number of dengue cases go up. I have been a doctor for many years, but I have never seen such a large number of patients with NCDs in hospitals,” he said.

Dr. Rajapaksha said a large number of patients could not come to clinics during the COVID pandemic and in the last few months due to fuel shortages.

“They could not be properly examined and treated because of this. Moreover, due to drug shortages in government hospitals, patients have to buy from private pharmacies. However, the price of drugs has skyrocketed and a lot of people can’t afford medicine. Now, we have lost control of NCDs,” he said.

The GMOA official said that the economic downturn is affecting the health sector and the lives of many people are in danger. “Most of the people who tell us that they can’t afford medicines are those who depend on children. Or they are pensioners. A person who makes 50,000 rupees a month can’t spend 20,000 on medicines. In government hospitals we do very little testing now. We can’t even do a simple cholesterol test. The people can’t afford to get these tests done in private institutions. We also have a shortage of inhalers,” he said. Dr. Rajapaksha said due to the current health crisis, a large number of elderly people might die. Already NCDs account for 75% of deaths, he said.

“Some people say COVID vaccine has weakened people’s natural immunity and exacerbated some diseases. I don’t think that’s the case. Not only are people not getting treated on time, people are under great stress because of the dire state of the economy. People don’t know how they will be able to eat or send their kids to school. Continuous mental stress is really bad for health,” he said.

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Animal Welfare Draft Bill to be Gazetted

Published

19 hours ago

2026/06/24

Priyan

A specialists committee has been appointed by the Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation adhering to the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers dated 29.12.2025 for submitting appropriate recommendations analyzing the provisions of the draft bill formulation in regard to Animal Welfare.

Based on the recommendations of the said Committee, the Legal Draftsman has been instructed at the meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers held on 18.05.2026 to prepare the final bill on the animal welfare.

Wherefore, the Legal Draftsman has formulated the draft bill and the clearance of the Attorney General has been received in the connection.

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation to publish the said draft bill in the
Government Gazette Notification and subsequently forward the same to the Parliament for its concurrence.

News

Legal provisions on marking voters using indelible ink during elections removed

Published

19 hours ago

2026/06/24

Priyan

Under the legal provisions for elections in this country since 2004, it is mandatory for voters who come to mark their votes to verify their identity through a valid identity card, and it is also mandatory for all such voters to be marked with an appropriate mark using indelible ink. The dual purpose of these two functions is to prevent a voter from voting more than once in a single election.

It has been observed that having to follow two different
methods at the same time to achieve the same objective hinders the efficiency of the duties performed at the polling stations and also incurs additional costs to the government.

Therefore, it has been deemed appropriate to remove the legal provisions regarding the use of indelible ink and marking the voter with the appropriate mark from all election acts.

Accordingly, the development activities of the province, as well as national security, will benefit. Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the
President to take necessary steps to remove the legal provisions

• Section 36 of the presidential Election Act, No 15 of 1981
• Section 38 of the Parliamentary Election Act, No 01 of 1981
• Section 36 of the Provincial Council Election Act, No 02 of 1988
• Section 53 A of the Local Government Elections Ordinance (262 Authority)
• Section 21 of the Referendum Act No 7 of 1981

News

Showers will occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts

Published

20 hours ago

2026/06/24

Priyan

WEATHER FORECAST FOR 24 JUNE 2026
Issued at 05.30 a.m. on 24 June 2026 by the Department of Meteorology

Several spells of showers will occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts. Showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places in the Uva province and in Ampara and Batticaloa districts after 2.00 p.m.

Fairly strong winds about (30-40) kmph can be expectedat times over the Western slopes of the central hills, the Northern, North-central, North-western and Southern provinces and in Trincomalee district.

The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damage caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.