'Clean drinking water can prevent Chronic Kidney Disease'
Disna MUDALIGE
Providing clean and safe drinking water has the ability to prevent
the spread of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) which has become a major
problem in the North Central Province (NCP) and other agriculture based
areas in the country, Water Supply and Drainage Minister Dinesh
Gunawardena said.
Addressing a press conference at the Information Department
yesterday, the minister said the latest statistics have proved that
distribution of safe drinking water has contributed to lessen the number
of new kidney patients. He said there is a special medical team
dedicated to CKD in Anuradhapura, adding that they have got the correct
and latest data.
Gunawardena said according to the latest data, CKD has been spreading
not only in the NCP but also in other agriculture based areas such as
pockets of Ampara, Monaragala, Hambantota and North Western Province.
The minister said the Water Board last year commenced mobile services
to distribute safe drinking water to Anuradhapura and several other
areas where the CKD was spreading fast.
He said the government hopes to cover the entire NCP with the
distribution of clean water within the coming months. Minister
Gunawardena requested the people to avoid excess use of chemical
fertilizer which is the main reason for water pollution.
He said President Mahinda Rajapaksa has also pointed out the
necessity to move towards organic fertilizer from chemical fertilizer.
The minister stressed that all stakeholders including academic and
research community should get together and find a durable solution to
this problem. Gunawardena said the government has appointed a Parliament
Sub Committee with the representation of all parties to look into this
matter more carefully.
He said there should be a national effort to overcome this danger.
The minister also observed a soil survey is a timely necessity, adding
that a soil survey had not been conducted in the country for 70 years
now. He noted the Soil Act should be actively enforced.
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