News
Japan strengthens infectious waste management at 15 hospitals
… project costs USD 3.7 mn
Japan has provided infectious waste management equipment to 15 hospitals, across all nine provinces, in line with an agreement reached with the previous Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government.
The Japanese Embassy said that the equipment were provided under the “Project for the Improvement of Infectious Waste Management”, for which the Exchange of Notes was signed in April 2023 with a grant assistance of JPY 503 million (approx. USD 3.7 million).
Japanese Ambassador in Colombo Akio Isomata last Friday (05) attended the handover ceremony of infectious waste management equipment to the Trincomalee General Hospital, together with Health and Mass Media Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayathissa, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment Arun Hemachandra, Trincomalee District MP Roshan Akmeemana, and Chief Representative of JICA Sri Lanka Office Kenji Kuronuma.
The Japanese Embassy said that under this project, medical waste incinerators, with temperature control and exhaust gas treatment systems, are being provided to 15 hospitals across all nine provinces of Sri Lanka. Together with technical training on proper waste management and equipment operation, the project aims to strengthen infection prevention and control capacity nationwide.
The statement quoted Ambassador Isomata as having said that the project not only provides advanced facilities for infectious waste management, but also strengthens the capacity of healthcare workers through the training of Kaizen, 5S and TQM methods. He also highlighted that the project adopted, in its capacity development component, Training of Trainers (ToT) approach, utilising nudge theory based on modern behavioural sciences. Using this ToT approach, the knowledge learnt cascades from Health Ministry officials to hospital infection control officers, and on to broader groups of medical service personnel, thus effectively creating safer medical environment on a wider basis. He also mentioned that a Catheterization Laboratory at the Trincomalee General Hospital is expected to be established in two years, through an ongoing yen loan project, by which the quality of medical services in the Eastern Province, and adjacent areas will be further enhanced. The Ambassador reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to continuing to provide support to the Northern and Eastern Provinces, where socio-economic development and national reconciliation are closely interconnected. He also commented that for bilateral cooperation to be sustainable towards the future, not only government-to-government cooperation, but private sector partnership should be further promoted, including in medical and related industrial areas.
The Embassy said that Japan remains dedicated to supporting Sri Lanka in achieving sustainable development and in further deepening the long-standing friendship between the two countries.
The Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the proposal submitted by the Prime Minister to recruit 2,284 to the government service as per the recommendations of the ‘Committee appointed to review the recruitment process of the Government Service at its meeting held on 14.11.2025.
1. Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education 196
2. Ministry of Health and Mass Media 480
3. Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and
Local Governments 04
4. Ministry of Finance, Policy Planning and Economic
Development 19
5. Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development 778
6. Ministry of Justice and National Integration 222
7. Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development 107
8. Ministry of Defense 73
9. Ministry of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources 20
10. Ministry of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs 21
11. Ministry of Industries and Entrepreneurship Development 36
12. Ministry of Buddha Shasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs
04
13. Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure
Facilities 02
14. Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation 74
15. Western Provincial Council 230
16. Uva Provincial Council 08
17. North Western Provincial Council 08
18. Finance Commission 02
Latest News
Cabinet green light to obtain a grant from the Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund for post – disaster relief and rehabilitation activities
On a request made by the government of Sri Lanka, the Asian Development Bank has given its concurrence to provide a grant of United States dollars 3 million under Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund.
It is expected to supply materials required for providing essential life security services for the communities affected, from the said grant.
Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the proposal submitted by the President as the Minister of Finance, Plan Implementation and Economic Development to enter into the relevant agreements with the Asian Development Bank to obtain the said grant.
Business
Cabinet approves establishment of two 50 MW wind power stations in Mullikulum, Mannar region
Adhering to the broad plan of the Government to reach the objective of accomplishing 70% of the country’s electricity supply from renewable energy sources by the year 2030, the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted on 10.02.2025 to invite requests for resolutions from interested developers of the private sector in order to implement the Mullikulum Wind Power – 100 Mega Watts (two (02) wind power stations of
50 Mega Watts each) on the basis of construction, ownership and execution with a monitoring period of 20 years.
Accordingly, requests for proposals have been called to implement the relevant project by adhering to the international competitive bidding methodology, and seven (7) prospective project proposals were submitted.
Evaluating the said proposals, based on the recommendations submitted by the negotiation committee appointed by the Cabinet of Ministers, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Power to award the contracts of establishing the two (02) 50 Mega Watts Wind
Power Stations to Consortium of Vidullanka PLC & David Pieris Motor Company (Lanka) Limited and WindForce PLC.
Cabinet approves recruitment of 2,284 to government service
Cabinet green light to obtain a grant from the Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund for post – disaster relief and rehabilitation activities
Cabinet approves establishment of two 50 MW wind power stations in Mullikulum, Mannar region
Cabinet approves the purchase of vehicles to improve the primary health care system across the island
Cabinet approves the transfer of the constructions and land reserved for the Kiinniya University to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism
More than 30 dead after Myanmar military air strike hits hospital
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
Sunday Island 27 December – Headlines
#SundayIsland 17th December – Headlines
Sunday Island – 28th March
Sunday Island Headlines – 21 March
Sunday Island – 21st February – Headlines
-
News4 days agoOver 35,000 drug offenders nabbed in 36 days
-
Features2 days agoFinally, Mahinda Yapa sets the record straight
-
Business6 days agoLOLC Finance Factoring powers business growth
-
News3 days agoCyclone Ditwah leaves Sri Lanka’s biodiversity in ruins: Top scientist warns of unseen ecological disaster
-
News6 days agoCPC delegation meets JVP for talks on disaster response
-
News6 days agoA 6th Year Accolade: The Eternal Opulence of My Fair Lady
-
News4 days agoRising water level in Malwathu Oya triggers alert in Thanthirimale
-
Features5 days agoThe Catastrophic Impact of Tropical Cyclone Ditwah on Sri Lanka: