News

GMOA: Politicians lie when they deny shortages at state-run hospitals

Published

4 years ago

2022/08/19

By Sujeewa Thathsara, Pradeep Prasanna Samarakoon and Chaminda Silva

Patients’ lives are in danger due to shortages of drugs, Secretary of the All Ceylon Medical Officers’ Association (ACMOA), Dr. Jayantha Bandara says. Dr. Bandara said that even leading hospitals in the country including the National Hospital, Colombo, faced shortages.

“There are crippling shortages of surgical equipment, pain killers, cancer drugs, medicines used for common non-communicable diseases and widely used medicines for children. Some of these drugs are over,” he said.

Dr. Bandara warned that the health sector will collapse in a few months unless remedial action was taken urgently.

“A lot of government hospitals ask patients to buy medicine from private pharmacies. However, the prices of medicines have increased by 400 percent in the past few months. People just can’t afford to buy medicines from the private sector,” he said.

ACMOA Secretary said that the State Pharmaceutical Corporation (SPC) could import drugs at reasonable prices and release them to the market. However, the SPC had done precious little to import and sell drugs or make the best use of the Indian credit lines, he said.

“This is the responsibility of the SPC. Even top-tier Colombo hospitals like the National Hospital and the Eye Hospital are facing severe shortages. Do we even need to talk about rural hospitals? The lives of people are at risk,” Dr. Bandara said, adding that doctors had been compelled to postpone surgeries because of drug and equipment shortages. “This has made thousands of patients vulnerable.

“The government needs to address this situation immediately, he said. Moreover, resident patients do not receive nutritious meals at hospitals, he said.

“The Health Ministry is not managing the crisis at all. For example, doctors at the Eye Hospital are compelled to ask patients to buy all kinds of medicine and equipment from the private sector. Most people can’t afford them. What can the doctors do? A lot of doctors are now involved in fundraising. However, that becomes a problem when government ministers say there are no medical shortages,” he said.

These contradictory statements are confusing potential donors, Dr. Bandara added. A lot of philanthropists have contacted doctors’ unions and health ministry and have sought clarifications, he said.

“We try to tell them what the situation here is. But some of the health ministry officials say that there are no shortages. A number of doctors have told me that there is a drop in donations as well. Also, we have no idea about what had happened to the Indian credit line. It was revealed in Parliament that India had allocated a few hundred million dollars for medical supplies, but what has happened to that? No one seems to know,” he said.

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

Published

4 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.

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

Published

4 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

6 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.