WHO praises Lanka for achieving MDG targets

Chaminda PERERA

Sri Lanka will receive special recognition at the convention of the World Health Organisation to be held in Ethiopia in October for being the first country in the South East Asia region to have achieved eight out of the ten Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in the health sector.

According to a Ministry spokesman, members of the WHO have agreed to achieve the ten MDGs which are aimed at uplifting the healthcare facilities of the member countries within 2005 - 2015 and Sri Lanka has achieved over eight such goals within four years surpassing the developed countries.

"The country has secured a number of achievements such as low maternal mortality rate, child mortality rate and higher level of life expectancy. The program to control communicable diseases such as SARS, Avian flu, HIV and STD has earned accolades from many countries.

Sri Lanka was the first country in the South East Asia and the fourth country in the world to become the signatories to International Convention of Tobacco and Alcohol.