News
New trend among some SL parents not to have infants vaccinated
By Rathindra Kuruwita
There is a trend among some Sri Lankan parents not to have their infants vaccinated and this could lead to disastrous consequences, officials from National Programme for Tuberculosis Control and Chest Diseases (NPTCCD) says.
In certain developed nations, some parents start vaccinating their children only after a year or so after they were born and Sri Lankan parents who find out about this on the Internet, had also started delaying vaccinations, the official said.
“Children from developed nations in North America and Europe are not exposed to the same level of communicable diseases as we do due to climatic and other factors. However, things are different in tropical countries and developing nations. Children, until they reach five, have very low immunity. They develop resistance to diseases after contracting them. When it comes to more serious diseases like tuberculosis, the question to consider is that do we give the children a vaccine or take the risk of letting them develop immunity by contracting the disease,” Dr. Mizaya Cader, team lead of the Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation Unit at the NPTCCD said.
Dr. Cader said that vaccination had been a main reason for Sri Lanka’s good health indicators and tuberculosis among Sri Lankan children was very low. Only about 215 children contracted tuberculosis in Sri Lanka per year, she said.
Dr. Cader said in comparable countries between 5 to 15 percent of tuberculosis patients were children, but the number was only three percent in Sri Lanka.
“Our successful vaccination drive may be the main reason for this low number,” she said.
In 2023, there were 9,538 reported cases of tuberculosis in Sri Lanka, and in 2022 only about 8,500. Dr. Cader said in many parts of the world the number of reported tuberculosis patients had increased.
She said that was due to distractions during the Covid-19 pandemic. The economic crisis which led to a drop in nutritional levels might also have led to a drop in people’s immunity. This might be leading to higher cases of tuberculosis. About 25 percent of tuberculosis patients we come across have a low Body mass index.”
Moreover, those with diabetes, kidney diseases, cancers, and others with conditions and behaviours that reduce immunity are also prone to tuberculosis, she said.
Director of the NPTCCD, Dr. Pramitha Shanthilatha Rathnayake said that in 2022 there had been only about 8,500 cases,. The reported number for 2023 was close to the numbers detected in 2015, she added.
Consultant Respiratory Physician Dr. Neranjan Dissanayake, said that it was extremely important for people to know that they have tuberculosis and seek treatment. A tuberculosis patient who does not seek treatment, could at least spread the diseases among 12 people a year, on average, he said.
“Even when you take meds, you can spread it to others for about six weeks from the day you start taking the medicines. As long as you don’t take medicine, you will keep on spreading the diseases to others. Also, without treatment, 70 percent of people with tuberculosis in the lungs will die within two years.”
Dr. Dissanayake said there were about four main drugs used to treat tuberculosis. During the first two months, a patient is given all four drugs. In some countries there are variants that are resistant to these drugs.
However, luckily there are only a very limited number of cases of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis here, Dr. Dissanayake added. “These drugs are mild and even pregnant women can take them.”
The iconic Kandy Railway Station, which once bustled with thousands of commuters daily, now stands in eerie silence, having remained deserted for the past six months. This desolation follows the catastrophic destruction of the railway line caused by the ‘Ditwah’ cyclone in November 2025, which triggered unprecedented flooding and landslides across the Central Highlands.
The most critical damage occurred when the Mahaweli River breached its banks, severely compromising the structural integrity of the historic iron bridge on the Peradeniya-Kandy railway line. Consequently, all train operations on the route were brought to an immediate and complete standstill.
Compounding the grim scene at the station are five passenger trains that have been left stranded on the platforms for the past half-year. Railway officials have stated that until the aging iron bridge over the Mahaweli River is fully restored and certified for safety, it will be impossible to resume train services from Kandy to the Upcountry or Colombo regions.
Joint Trade Unions of the Railway Department confirmed that all daily train services originating from Kandy to other provinces remain suspended due to this disaster. The ongoing disruption has severely impacted thousands of commuters, including government employees, schoolchildren, university students, and the business community, who now face immense hardships daily travel.
By S.K. Samaranayake
The Buddha Abhivandana Vesak Festival will be held in Panadura from May 30 to June 2 to mark the 2570th Buddhahood anniversary. This is being organized under the leadership of the Buddhist Shasanarakshaka Bala Mandals of Panadura North and South with the support of government and private institutions.
In conjunction with Vesak week, a special series of sermons will be held for school children to promote good values. On May 30, the Vesak Poya Day, a Shila Bhavana (Meditation) program with the participation of everyone will be held at the Panadura Galgoda Sri Maha Viharaya, as the main focus, and at all other temples in the area. On the same day, an exhibition of sacred relics and a blessing Bodhi Pooja will also be held at the Panadura Ran Koth Viharaya.
On the evening of May 31, two religious processions consisting of Dhamma school children led by the Shasanarakshaka Bala Mandala are scheduled to arrive in Panadura town. One procession will arrive in Panadura from Pallimulla and the other from Pinwatte. Furthermore, a series of Vesak Sadaha Gee programs will be presented in the Panadura city center from May 31st to June 2nd. A special lantern exhibition will also be held at several selected locations, including the Sudarshana Devarama Temple, and prizes will be awarded for the best lanterns selected from the exhibition. The Buddhabhivandana Vesak Zone Organization has made arrangements to hold Vesak lanterns, special light pujas, Vesak pandals, and dhansals throughout the city for the people who will be visiting during these few days.
A consignment of 134 single cabs gifted by the Government of India under the Indo–Sri Lanka Friendship Programme for the use of the Sri Lanka Police was officially handed over to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Monday (25) morning at the Presidential Secretariat.
The Government of India has incurred an expenditure of approximately LKR.300 million for this initiative and the vehicles are scheduled to be distributed among police stations in the Northern Province.
Speaking at the occasion, Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha stated that similar assistance would continue to be extended to Sri Lanka in the future.
In appreciation of this gift by the Government of India, Inspector General of Police Priyantha Weerasooriya presented a commemorative memento to Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha.
Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs, Ananda Wijepala, Deputy Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs, Sunil Watagala, Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security Ravi Seneviratne, General Manager of DIMO Rajeev Pandithage, officials of the Indian High Commission and senior officers of the Sri Lanka Police were also present at the occasion.
(PMD)
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