News
UK provides COVID lifesaving medical equipment to 11 maternal hospitals through UNICEF
The UNICEF yesterday announced that the UK was providing lifesaving medical equipment to high-risk pregnant mothers and infants identified with COVID-19 in 11 public maternal hospitals across the country
This is in response to a request from the Sri Lanka Ministry of Health through UNICEF, following the rapid escalation of COVID cases since mid-April 2021.
The initiative is funded by the UK’s International Programme Fund and led by UNICEF. It will support the health care system by adding over 100 pieces of medical equipment, including High Dependency Unit beds, multipara monitors, syringe pumps, adult suckers and infusion pumps.
While receiving the equipment yesterday at the Ministry, Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said: “The equipment so generously donated could not have arrived at a better time to boost the efforts of Sri Lanka in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic. He recognized the UK’s long-standing partnership with Sri Lanka as a trusted ally with this latest contribution demonstrating the concerted efforts required in combating the COVID-19 pandemic”
With the emergence of new variants of COVID-19 from mid-April 2021, pregnant mothers and children have become a high-risk group with increased maternal deaths reported in the third wave of COVID-19.
British High Commissioner, Sarah Hulton said: “The UK is proud to support Sri Lanka’s fight against COVID 19. This contribution is not only providing urgently needed life saving medical equipment, but also strengthening Sri Lanka’s child and maternal health system.”
Essential medical equipment like this, not only helps strengthen the health system’s capacity to respond to COVID-19 at present, but also contributes to health care service delivery in the long term. For instance, setting up High Dependency Units in the maternity wards in specialist hospitals had been identified as a critical need for many years pre-COVID by the Ministry of Health and will remain in the maternity wards even in a post-COVID context as well, to care for high risk pregnant mothers, contributing to the reduction of maternal and new-born deaths.
“COVID-19 has again showed that the most vulnerable, including pregnant women and young children are the most affected by its consequences. This equipment procured with the support of the UK is not only helping to address the immediate needs of those infected with the virus but generally improve the quality of healthcare for the long term. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, UNICEF has supported the efforts of the government of Sri Lanka to ensure that critical healthcare is provided, especially to the most vulnerable”, said UNICEF Representative, Christian Skoog.
The government, under heavy Opposition fire over inclusion of a sex website in the Grade 6 English module, as well as overall education reforms, has decided to put on hold reforms in respect of Grade 6.
Cabinet Spokesman and Media and Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa announced the government decision yesterday (13) at the post-Cabinet media briefing at the Information Department.
According to him, the decision had been taken at the previous day’s Cabinet meeting, chaired by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Dr. Jayatissa said that education reforms pertaining to Garde 6 had been put on hold until 2027.
The Minister said that other proposed education reforms would be implemented as planned. The Minister said that action would be taken against those responsible for the inclusion of a link to a sex website following investigations conducted by the Criminal Investigation Department and the National Education Institute.
The SJB and several other political parties, as well as civil society groups, have accused the government of promoting an LGBTQ agenda, through the proposed education reforms.
The Opposition grouping Mahajana Handa, on Monday, made representations to the Mahanayake Thera of the Malwatta Chapter regarding the controversial reforms, while urging their intervention to halt the project.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday (13) vowed to go ahead with his government’s agenda, regardless of the destruction caused by Cyclone Ditwah.
Emphasising the responsibility on the part of all to contribute to the post-Ditwah recovery efforts, President Dissanayake said that he would have complete faith in the public service.
The President said so at the launch of the re-building Sri Lanka project at the BMICH yesterday.
The JVP and NPP leader said that he wouldn’t take advantage of the death and destruction caused by the cyclone or use the situation as an excuse to reverse their agenda or weaken it.
President Dissanayake said that in spite of many calling for amending the then Budget, in view of the cyclone, the government presented the proposals that were agreed before the disaster struck.
The United States has announced that it will provide the Sri Lanka Air Force with 10 US Navy TH-57 helicopters free of charge.
The announcement was made by outgoing US Ambassador Julie Chung, who stated, on social media, that the helicopters would be transferred under the United States’ Excess Defence Articles programme. The aircraft are Bell 206 Sea Ranger helicopters previously operated by the US Navy.
US sources said that the transfer was intended to strengthen Sri Lanka’s disaster response capabilities, following the devastating cyclone that struck the island at the end of 2025 and killed more than 600 people. US officials have framed the move as a humanitarian measure aimed at improving aerial rescue and relief operations.
Fair weather will prevail except for a few showers in the Uva, Eastern, Western and Central provinces and in Galle, Matara and Rathnapura districts
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AKD: Govt. agenda on track despite Ditwah disaster
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