News
Prof. Malavige pleads to keep virulent coronavirus strain from S. Africa, UK out of Sri Lanka
Rathindra Kuruwita
Everything possible must be done to prevent the highly virulent COVID-19 strains from South Africa and the United Kingdom from arriving in Sri Lanka, Prof. Neelika Malavige, from the Department of Immunology and Molecular Medicine, University of Sri Jayewardenepura told the media yesterday.
Prof. Malavige said that the strain found in Sri Lanka was much less virulent than the above-mentioned strains.
“We just have to do our best to stop these strains from coming in,” she said.
She said that the Jayewardenepura University had analysed coronavirus samples from various parts of the country and had found that they all belonged to a single strain.
“We are currently analyzing the samples from Badulla where the virus is rapidly spreading,” she said
Commenting on Prof. Malavige’s claim, President of the College of Medical Laboratory Science, Ravi Kumudesh told The Island that the government had to allow the government- testing facilities at the BIA to test incoming tourists. Test labs should also be established in other airports too, he said.
“We don’t get samples at the airport. The Health Ministry has allowed businessmen to take this over. This has become a great money-making scheme for certain private sector institutions. Some so-called experts are also manipulating data to justify this practice.”
Kumudesh said that when they proposed to establish a PCR lab at the BIA, there had been a lot of resistance from certain officials of the Health Ministry and doctors that also work for private labs.
“However, the Health Secretary gave us his blessings and we established a lab within 10 days. This lab that can give PCR test report swithin one and a half hours. It can accommodate 4,500 tests per day. I don’t think that more than 1,500 people would come in a day in the coming months,” he said.
The People of Myanmar are facing immense hardships caused by the devastating earthquake on 28th March and as reported by the international media reports the death toll is over 2,700. Furthermore, it has been reported that many people are missing while, a large number of individuals have been injured and are receiving treatment.
Considering the long – term close relationship between the two nations as two Buddhist states, the Cabinet of Ministers has decided to provide,
• A sum of United States Dollars One Million
• Transportation for the dry rations collected by Buddhist clergy and other donors
• To have a group of medical officers and health staff on standby for immediate departure to Myanmar if necessary
Latest News
Cabinet appoints ministerial committee to submit report on sanctions imposed on 04 Sri Lankans by the United Kingdom
Attention of the Cabinet of Ministers have been drawn on the decisions taken by the United Kingdom to impose sanctions on four Sri Lankan individuals recently, and have decided to appoint a committee comprised of three ministers to submit a report with recommendations on the further measures to be taken after studying the facts in the regard and to empower the committee to obtain the service of any officer/intellect deemed to have subject expertise in the relevant field and considered essential.
The committee will comprise of :
– Vijitha Herath Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism
– Attorney – at – Law Harshana Nanayakkara Minister of Justice and National Integrity
– Aruna Jayasekara Deputy Minister of Defence
News
Revised Aswasuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme to be submitted for the concurrence of the Parliament.
Approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted at their meeting held on 17.03.2025 to amend the Aswasuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme by increasing the value of the benefits already being payed under the scheme.
The revised Aswasuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme has been published by the extraordinary gazette notification No. 2429/02 dated 24.03.2025.
Accordingly, he Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Policy Plannng and Economic Development to submit the said revised Aswasuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme to the Parliament for its concurrence.
Cabinet approves providing relief to the people of Myanmar
Cabinet appoints ministerial committee to submit report on sanctions imposed on 04 Sri Lankans by the United Kingdom
Revised Aswasuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme to be submitted for the concurrence of the Parliament.
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