Lanka to achieve another MDG in health sector

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

Sri Lanka is about to achieve another Millennium Development Goal (MDG) in the health sector well ahead of the target year (2015). The World Health Organisation (WHO) set the MDG for Sri Lanka to control Tuberculosis (TB) and reduce the TB ratio in Sri Lanka to 30 persons out of every 100,000 and this ratio has come down to 36-40 persons out of every 100,000, a Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry spokesman said. According to the spokesman, the TB ratio in Sri Lanka in 1990 was 60 persons out of every 100,000 and the number of deaths exceeded 75.

But at the moment this ratio has come down to 36-40 persons out of every 100,000 and the number of deaths is just six.

It is expected to further reduce this and bring the ratio to 30 persons in every 100,000 and two deaths. Every year around 10,000 new TB patients are diagnosed from Sri Lanka.