Promote research for Lanka's development dream to realise - Minister

Suraj A. Bandara

Researches not popular among Sri Lankans should be promoted in every sphere to release the dream of a developed Sri Lanka, Technology and Research Minister Prof Tissa Vitharana said.

He was addressing the Ceylon College of Physicians annual scientific sessions participating as the Chief Guest at Cinnamon Grand Hotel yesterday.

The Minister said researches done in Sri Lanka are inadequate compared with other countries.

A lowest investment of 0.12 from the national income is spent for research in Sri Lanka which is relatively very low compared to other developing countries, he said. Researches on agriculture and industries marked a significant low rate though they are the pivotal aspects of development. Most medical researches are done with WHO help. Medical experts should be encouraged to develop independence research as it is the only way to promote proper medicinal knowledge, Prof Vitharana said.

"How much environmental factors have contributed to the spread of asthma in Sri Lanka could also be understood through our own researches. Some causal factors in certain diseases were not properly identified in Sri Lanka due to lack of researches," he said.

The Minister said scientists and researchers should work together to find out the best way in eradicating dengue and renal deceases in the North Central region.

"Prof Senaka Bibile's recommendations in giving low cost therapy in minimizing the number of patients in hospitals is practicable. We need to have a closer look at the bio-diversity resources in the country and promote Ayurvedic medicine," he said. NANO technology is a positive aspect in any country. NANO biotechnology has tremendous potentiality to make use of biodiversity in the country, he added.

"Though we are embedded in alopathy it is a timely need to experiment in Ayurvedic medicine," the Minister said.

The Guest of Honour was London Royal College of Physicians President Sir Richard Thomson, former personal physician of Queen Elizabeth II. Outstanding physicians were honoured with fellowships at the session.