'Pakistan has a lot to learn from SL'

Athapattu Bandara

'Pakistan has a lot to learn from Sri Lanka, especially in terms of public administration. Sri Lanka is privileged with a well-organized public administration system,' Pakistan High Commissioner in Sri Lanka Seema Ilahi Baloch, said.

She was addressing the certificate awarding ceremony for the Pakistan Medical Team consisting 60 individuals who completed a seven-day course in Sri Lanka under the Sri Lankan medical expertise on dengue prevention.

The medical delegation from the government of Punjab arrived in Sri Lanka under a Punjab Resources Management Programme to participate in the International Training on case management of Dengue hosted by the Health Ministry as part of the Dengue Epidemic Prevention Control Management Programme (DEPCNP) Organized by the Colombo Epidemiology Unit and Asian International Technology (AIT) Thailand from December 12 -16.

The High Commissioner said that ties between the two countries have grown stronger during the past years. Pakistan has been a great friend of Sri Lanka under any circumstances.

The Secretary of the Punjab government thanked the Sri Lankan government for the generosity shown to the Punjab medical experts and appreciated the hospitality extended to them throughout their stay in Sri Lanka.

The Medical team's leader Mohammad Aleem said they felt no difference between the two countries. They consider Sri Lanka as their second home.

Deputy Health Minister Lalith Dissanayaka who was the chief guest at the event said the exchanges of expertise and knowledge between the two countries is very important and pledged Sri Lanka's support to Pakistan at any time.

The medical team which included medical and paramedical experts received training on dengue control management apart from clinical training at the Colombo National Hospital, Children's Hospital and Epidemiology Unit.

Earlier, a Sri Lankan medical team consisting of 12 individuals was also sent to Lahore and Panjab in Pakistan to control the spread of dengue.However, the Pakistani medical team had decided to undergo training in Sri Lanka to control the spread of dengue, if it spreads in Pakistan once again in the future.

They said that this training will save thousands of innocent lives from the dengue menace.