News

Dialysis centre donated by Lions now open

Published

4 years ago

2022/01/19

“LIONS Kidney Dialysis center”, a state-of-the-art kidney dialysis centre was declared open on Friday, 14th January 2022 at the Colombo East Base Hospital, Mulleriyawa. This project has been the brainchild of the Past District Governor of Lions International, Lion Mahinda Perera, and ably assisted by Project Chairman Lion Susantha Caldera and Project Manager Lion Athula de Silva. It is one of the most impressive and challenging tasks undertaken by the Lions District 306C1 in recent times.

Lions Clubs International is the world’s largest humanitarian service organisation which has its representation in more than 210 countries with a global membership of more than 1.4 million service minded people who have rendered their humanitarian services for over 100 years with the motto “WE SERVE”.

It is a known fact that many urban Sri Lankans in the Western Province, suffer from kidney disease, for which they need medical treatment from government hospitals, mainly due to the very high cost of treatment from private hospitals in Colombo. Cost of kidney Dialysis in private hospitals is not affordable to an ordinary low income citizen in Sri Lanka as average charges are Rs.8,500/= for one time treatment. Normally a kidney patient has to go through the dialysis process 2-3 times a week. Hence the charges per month will be approximately Rs.100,000 p.m. Further, due to this high cost, Socio Economic Impact of Chronic Kidney Diseases on the affected families are impossible to think of. The Majority of chronic kidney patients are still in the working and economically productive ages. As a result, the disease has a considerable impact on such a household’s income

During the last decade it has been observed that the occurrences of chronic kidney diseases and other renal diseases has increased rapidly. Given these critical circumstances, the need for a dialysis centre at the Colombo East Base Hospital is of immense importance. Hence the District 306C1 of International Lions Clubs decided to donate a state of the art LIONS KIDNEY DIALYSIS CENTRE to Colombo East Base Hospital, as part of their humanitarian projects. They have constructed the building for the centre at the hospital premises and donated all medical equipment needed for the unit. Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) came forward to invest in all the Dialysis machines, RO Plants, and other equipment. Total value of this noble project is around Rs. 45 million, out of which Rs.16.2 million was funded by the Lions club international Foundation (LCIF). The cost of construction of the building was entirely borne by the Lions and other well-wishers. The Ministry of Health and the hospital authority are responsible for maintenance and management of the this multi -million Hemodialysis centre

The facility was built within 21 months amidst several interruptions due to the Covid-19 pandemic. During the first phase of this project, the dialysis centre is equipped with 07 ICU beds and could accommodate seven patients at a time with a total of more than 25 patients per day. They aim to provide this invaluable service free of charge to the innocent kidney patients who are always dependent on dialysis.

The centre was declared open by Minister of Health Keheliya Rambukwella in the presence of Lions dignitaries District Governor 2019-2020 Lion Mahinda Perera, Lion Mahendra Amarasooriya International President 2007-2008, District Governor 2021-2022 Lion Amal Nishantha Pussllage, Dr. Priyantha Karunaratne, Director, Colombo East Base Hospital, Ministry of health Officials, Lions dignitaries , donors and well-wishers.

The remarkable generosity that was shown by the Lions towards this meritorious project will pave the way for the destitute kidney patients of the country to be benefited by the services of the Lions Kidney Dialysis centre for a long period to come.

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Advisory for Severe Lightning issued to the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and Galle and Matara districts

Published

2 hours ago

2026/03/12

Priyan

Advisory for Severe Lightning Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre at 12.30 noon 12 March 2026 valid for the period until 11.00 p.m. 12 March 2026

Thundershowers accompanied with severe lightning are likely to occur at some places in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle and Matara districts after 2.00 p.m.

There may be temporary localized strong winds during thundershowers. General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by lightning activity.

ACTION REQUIRED:
The Department of Meteorology advises that people should:
 Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees.
 Avoid open areas such as paddy fields, tea plantations and open water bodies during thunderstorms.
 Avoid using wired telephones and connected electric appliances during thunderstorms.
 Avoid using open vehicles, such as bicycles, tractors and boats etc.
 Beware of fallen trees and power lines.
 For emergency assistance contact the local disaster management authorities.

Latest News

Nasa spacecraft weighing 1,300lb due to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere

Published

3 hours ago

2026/03/12

Priyan

The two Van Allen Probes were launched in 2012 [BBC]

A Van Allen Probe spacecraft weighing more than 1,300lb (600kg) is expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere almost 14 years after its launch, Nasa says.

The spacecraft is projected to re-enter around 19:45 EDT (23:45 GMT) on Tuesday the US Space Force predicted, according to Nasa, though there is a 24-hour margin of “uncertainty” in the timing.

The Van Allen Probe A, which launched in 2012, is expected mostly to burn up as it travels through the atmosphere, though some components may survive.

The space agency said there is a one in 4,200 chance of being harmed by a piece of the probe, which it characterised as “low” risk.

The spacecraft and its twin, Van Allen Probe B, were on a mission to gather unprecedented data on Earth’s two permanent radiation belts.

It was not immediately clear where in Earth’s atmosphere the satellite is projected to re-enter. The BBC has contacted Nasa for further detail.

Nasa and the US Space Force have said they will monitor the re-entry and update any predictions.

The mission, which was originally designed to last two years, went on for almost seven. It ended after the spacecrafts ran out of fuel and were no longer able to orient themselves toward the Sun.

The probes flew through rings of charged particles trapped by Earth’s magnetic field from 2012 to 2019, in order to study how particles were gained and lost, per Nasa.

Those rings, called the Van Allen belts, shield Earth from cosmic radiation, solar storms and streaming solar wind, which are harmful to humans and can damage technology.

The mission made significant discoveries, including the first data that show the existence of a transient third radiation belt, which can form during times of intense solar activity, Nasa said.

Van Allen Probe B is not expected to re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere before 2030.

[BBC]

News

PM Visits the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)

Published

5 hours ago

2026/03/12

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya visited the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) headquarters in Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines, on 11 March 2026, and held bilateral discussions with Yvonne Pinto, Director General of IRRI, focusing on strengthening cooperation in the field of rice research and sustainable agricultural development.

During the meeting, discussions centered on rice cultivation in Sri Lanka, including the key challenges faced by Sri Lankan paddy farmers. The Prime Minister highlighted issues affecting the sector such as productivity constraints, climate-related impacts, and the need to support farmers through improved agricultural practices and technological innovations.

Both sides also discussed the importance of introducing modern techniques and research-driven approaches to rice cultivation in order to enhance productivity and ensure long-term food security. In this regard, IRRI shared insights on ongoing global research initiatives aimed at improving rice varieties, strengthening climate resilience, and promoting sustainable farming practices.

The discussion further focused on the potential for expanded collaboration between Sri Lanka and IRRI, particularly in areas such as research partnerships, knowledge sharing, and capacity building for Sri Lankan agricultural institutions and farmers. The Prime Minister emphasized Sri Lanka’s interest in strengthening cooperation with IRRI to support the development of the country’s rice sector and to improve the livelihoods of paddy farmers.

The visit reaffirmed the importance of science-based agricultural innovation and international collaboration in addressing food security challenges and enhancing sustainable rice production in Sri Lanka.