News
Health Minister turns to extensive Cuban expertise to combat dengue menace
Health and Media Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa has sought Cuban expertise to tackcle Sri Lanka’s recurring dengue epidemic. The initiative aims to strengthen treatment services, suppress mosquito breeding, and promote the systematic use of medications to combat the disease effectively.
This collaboration was discussed during a high-level meeting held recently at the Ministry of Health. Dr. Jayatissa met with the Cuban Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Andres Marcelo Gonzalez Garrido, to explore avenues for cooperation. The discussions emphasised leveraging Cuba’s extensive experience in dengue prevention and control.
Key officials participating in the meeting included Acting Secretary of the Ministry of Health Vatsala Priyadarshani, Director General of Health Services Dr. Asela Gunawardena, Chief Epidemiologist of the Epidemiology Unit Dr. Hasitha Tissera, and Director of the Dengue Control Unit Dr. Sudath Samaraweera. The Cuban delegation was represented by First Secretary Maribel Duarte Gonzalez, alongside other dignitaries.
The Minister expressed his commitment to utilising Cuba’s proven methodologies and tools to enhance Sri Lanka’s response to the dengue challenge. Both sides highlighted the importance of sharing technical expertise and experience in developing long-term solutions for mosquito-borne diseases.
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land, and Irrigation to determine the price of the maize by a committee appointed by the Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land, and Irrigation in the future and to import only the quantity of maize that could not be supplied locally for the production of animal feed, under the supervision of the Department of Animal Production and Health.
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the joint resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development and the Minister of Industries and Entrepreneurship Development to phase the removal of Cess tax imposed on imported goods under 2,634 combined classification codes identified over 4 years [from 2026 to 2029\.
Around 140 people are missing after an Iranian navy ship sank off the coast of Sri Lanka.
The Sri Lankan navy says around 180 people were on board, with 32 rescued. A spokesman tells the BBC the cause of the sinking is not known
Sri Lanka’s navy has confirmed that it’s rescued 32 people after it received a distress call from Iranian navy ship ‘IRIS Dena’ early this morning.
Budhika Sampath, the spokesman of Sri Lanka’s navy says: “Though it was beyond our waters, it was within our search and rescue region. So we were obliged to respond as per international obligations.”
He adds: “We found people floating on the water, rescued them, and later when we inquired we found that those people are from an Iranian ship.”
He also says that according to the documentation of the ship 180 people are believed to have been on board, although the exact number of missing is unknown.
The spokesman says at the time of launching the rescue operations they did not see the vessel but saw oil patches on the water and floating life rafts.
He also tells the BBC that he rejects the reports of a submarine attack causing the sinking, and that the cause is unknown.
Earlier the secretary of the country’s defence ministry Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuiyakontha told BBC Sinhala that around 140 people are thought to be missing.
So far, Sri Lanka’s military has not been able to confirm what might have caused the ship to sink.
[BBC]
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