Ten per cent of total population sick

Asela KURULUWANSA

About 10 per cent of Sri Lanka’s total population are afflicted with some kind of ailment. In actual figures it amounts to about two million approximately, said orthopaedic surgeon, Dr. H.J. Suraweera addressing the media in connection with medical service exhibition jointly organised by the Sri Lanka Medical Association and the Peradeniya University Medical Faculty.

He said, about 2,500 deaths are reported annually due to road accidents and over 25,000 people became disabled due to grievous injuries they have suffered.

The theme of the exhibition is, ‘Make the disabled, the differently abled’.

Dr. Suraweera said, the ethnic war, higher life expectancy and road accidents have increased the member of disabled people.