2023-09-12
A comprehensive discussion regarding the progress of the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) agreed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) took place on Thursday (06) at the Presidential Secretariat, between President Anura Kumara Disanayake and the IMF delegation.
The current government has already reached a staff-level agreement with the IMF on the third review regarding the extended arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) of USD3 billion.
The details of this review are expected to be presented to the International Monetary Fund’s Board of Directors by the end of this month. In this regard, discussions were held regarding the progress and the government’s involvement in continuing the program moving forward.
Once the approval is granted by the IMF Executive Board, Sri Lanka is expected to release the fourth tranche of the extended loan, amounting to 333 million dollars.
The discussion was also attended by IMF Executive Director Dr. Krishnamurthy Subramanian, Alternate Executive Director Dr. P. K. G. Harischandra, Deputy Minister of Economic Development Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance Mahinda Siriwadana, and Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe.
The newly appointed Commander of the Tri-Forces met with Commander-in-Chief, President Anura Kumara Disanayake on Thursday (6th) afternoon at the Presidential Secretariat.
The meeting was attended by Lieutenant General Lasantha Rodrigo, the new Army Commander; Vice Admiral Kanchana Banagoda, the new Navy Commander and Air Marshal Vasu Bandu Edirisinghe, the new Air Force Commander.
Following tradition, the new commanders formally met with the President after assuming their duties. During the meeting, they also presented the President with a commemorative token.
The first case of a newer, more spreadable variant of mpox has been detected in the Republic of Ireland, the Health Service Executive (HSE) has said.
The Irish resident, who was infected with the Clade 1 variant, had recently returned from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The virus – formerly known as monkeypox – was declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization last August.
The HSE said that while it is the first Irish case of the newer variant, it is not unexpected and the risk to the public remains low.
The individual is now receiving specialist care in a hospital in Dublin.
The HSE added that those who have received two doses of the mpox vaccine, or previously had the virus, are considered to have protection against severe illness caused by the newer variant.
Director of National Health Protection Dr Éamonn O’Moore said the HSE is fully prepared to respond to this case.
“We have been working alongside international partners and National Health Protection has been monitoring mpox closely since the outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo first emerged,” Dr O’Moore added.
Mpox is caused by a virus in the same family as smallpox but is usually much less harmful.
It spreads through direct contact with rashes, skin lesions or scabs caused by the virus, including during sexual contact, kissing, cuddling and other skin-to-skin contact.
There is also a risk from contact with bodily fluids; from contact with bedding or towels or clothing; and through close and prolonged face-to-face contact, such as talking, breathing, coughing and sneezing.
Common symptoms of mpox include flu-like symptoms, followed by a skin rash and pus-filled lesions which can last up to a month.
Once the fever breaks, a rash can develop. This can be extremely itchy or painful, often beginning on the face before spreading to other parts of the body, most commonly the palms of the hands and soles of the feet.
In serious cases, lesions can attack the whole of the body, especially the mouth, eyes and genitals.
The rash goes through different stages before finally forming a scab, which later falls off and can cause scarring.
In many cases the infection lasts between 14 and 21 days before clearing up on its own.
But mpox can be fatal, particularly for vulnerable groups – including small children.
Outbreaks can be controlled by preventing infections with vaccines, though these are usually only available for people at risk or those who have been in close contact with an infected person.
There are broadly two main types of mpox – Clade 1, which is often more serious, and Clade 2.
A previous mpox public health emergency, declared in 2022, was caused by the relatively mild Clade 2.
Experts are now concerned about the Clade 1 virus that has been spreading quickly in west and central Africa since 2023.
Health officials experts have described it as ‘incredibly worrying’ and the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreaks in Africa as ‘a public health emergency of international concern.
Millions of vaccines are being sent to the hardest-hit areas of east and central Africa to help control the outbreak.
Sweden, Germany, India, Thailand, Canada and the US have all seen imported cases of Clade 1b but there has been little onward spread to date.
On Tuesday, 12 new mpox vaccination sites opened across England.
[BBC]
President and representatives of IMF discuss progress of EFF
New Commanders of the Tri-Forces meet the President
First case of newer mpox variant detected in Ireland
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