News
Health Ministry urged not to reduce PCR testing during lookdowns
By Rathindra Kuruwita
A reduction in PCR testing had made it difficult for the health workers to gauge the effect of the current lockdown on the tranmission of the virus, College of Medical Laboratory Science (CMLS) President Ravi Kumudesh said yesterday.
Kumudesh told The Island that while the number of reported cases had been dropping, the number of deaths were rising.
“The decrease in PCR testing has led to this situation. The Health Ministry made the same mistake in March and April,” Kumudesh said.
“The people are making a lot of sacrifices, especially the daily wage earners. They have a right to know what’s going on. Only through testing can we figure out whether our strategies are working,” Kumudesh said.
The CMLS President said that after imposing travel restrictions, the government had not conducted random tests. “Therefore, we are in no position to say whether there has been a decline in cases.
“Even if the Health Ministry does nothing, COVID-19 will run its course and things will return to normal eventually. But how many vulnerable people will die if we try to achieve herd immunity like this? We don’t need a health service if we are running a system that ensures the survival of the fittest,” he said.
Kumudesh said that the Health Ministry was capable of increasing PCR testing by 300% overnight with existing machines and the personnel. “None of the state-run medical labs are operating at full capacity. The facilities can operate 24 hours a day and there are facilities and personnel to carry out the tasks. All our members are willing to work longer hours given the pandemic situation,” Kumudesh said.
His association’s had requested that rapid antigen tests be conducted on suspected COVID infected OPD patients, but it had gone unheeded. The delays in the PCR tests conducted at state institutions had impeded surgical and medical procedures, he said.
The Indian Naval Ship (INS) Sahyadri which arrived at the Port of Colombo on a formal visit on 04 Apr 25, departed the island today (07 Apr). The Sri Lanka Navy bade customary farewell to the departing ship at the Port of Colombo, following naval traditions.
During the ship’s stay in Colombo, crew members of INS Sahyadri took part in several programmes organized by the Sri Lanka Navy, aimed at enhancing mutual cooperation. In addition, they also explored some tourist attractions in the country. Further, personnel of Sri Lanka Navy had the opportunity to visit INS Sahyadri, gaining insights into her operational capabilities.
Latest News
Advisory for severe lightning issued for Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambanthota district
The Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre has issued an Advisory for Severe Lightning for the Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambanthota district.
The advisory issued at 02.00 p.m. today [07 April 2025] is valid for the period until 11.00 p.m. 07 April 2025
The public are warned that thundershowers accompanied by severe lightning are likely to occur at several places in for Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambantota district. 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.
The report of the “Census of Population and Housing 2024,” conducted by the Department of Census and Statistics, was officially handed over to President Anura Kumara Disanayake this morning (07) at the Presidential Secretariat.
This preliminary report has been prepared based on island wide data collected between October and December 2024.
The report provides details on Sri Lanka’s population, its growth and the distribution of the population across districts.
The information gathered through the census is vital not only for the government but also for other institutions in formulating policies and development plans essential for the country’s progress. Significantly, for the first time in the history of census-collecting in Sri Lanka, data collection was carried out using tablet computers and user-friendly mobile devices.
The event was attended by Deputy Minister of Finance & Planning, Harshana Suriyapperuma, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance Mahinda Siriwardana, Director General of the Department of Census and Statistics D.D.G.A. Senevirathne and several other officials.
INS Sahyadri sets sail from Colombo
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Advisory for severe lightning issued for Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambanthota district
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