All should cooperate to end malnutrition – Health Minister

Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena said that it is the duty and responsibility of all to extend their cooperation to the government to end malnutrition at a time when the Mahinda Rajapaksa government is making every attempt to find meaningful solutions to the malnutrition problem.

The Minister made this remark when he inaugurated the National Nutrition Month at the national festival held at the Nuwara Eliya Urban Council Hall. Health Minister Sirisena said that the National Nutrition Council was set-up last year under the patronage of President Mahinda Rajapaksa on a request by him.

He said when taken into consideration a history of even 10,000 years there had never been a mention of malnutrition.

But the foreign powers who invaded this country from 1505 to 1948 not only exploited our motherland but also deprived us of many rights we were enjoying.

The Minister pointed out that it was the duty and responsibility of all to extend their cooperation to the government to end the malnutrition affecting the people at a time when the Mahinda Rajapaksa government was making every attempt to find meaningful solutions to the malnutrition problem.

Minister Sirisena added that the government was making contributions of a large sum of money to ensure nutrition among the people in addition to the assistance and cooperation extended by the UNICEF, the World Health Organization and the United Nations Organization.