WHO praise for Lanka’s health sector

Chamikara WEERASINGHE

COLOMBO: The World Health Organisation has complimented Sri Lanka’s health services at the annual South East Asian Summit held in Bhutan, stating that it has set an example for all the other countries in the region with its excellence in the departments of hospital administration, medical services and patient care.

Health ministers from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India , Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, including Sri Lanka’a Health and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva attended the Summit, which was held in Thimpu from August 27 to 31 to discuss key health issues affecting the region.

The World Health Organisation advised the Royal Government of Bhutan to take Sri Lanka as a model to improve their health services.

The Organisation also asked the government of Bhutan to share Sri Lanka’s experience in health services, hospital administration and patient care to establish their health services on a firm footing.

It was pointed out at the Summit that there were no reports of dangerous diseases like Bird Flu, Ebola and Sars in Sri Lanka.

WHO officials said that this was mainly due to the commitment of the health sector in the country.

About three million children in South East Asia die due to malnutrition every year while another 17 per cent reportedly suffer from diarrhoea, WHO sources said.

Non-epidemic diseases such as heart ailments , cancers and diabetes are seemingly spreading over the region.

Sri Lanka has been far more effective in controlling diseases like Malaria and Tuberculosis from spreading compared to other countries in the region.

There have been 315 Bird Flu cases reported from 12 countries of them 191 persons have died. Among them 17 from Thailand and 85 from Indonesia.

There has not been a single case reported from Sri Lanka, it was pointed out.

WHO’s SouthEast Asian Director Dr. Shamlee Plianbangchang, WHO Director General Dr. Margaret Chan, Deputy Regional Director Poonam Khetrapai Sing participated in the Summit.