'Unified effort needed to crush drug menace'

M A R Manukulasooriya, Hiriyala group correspondent

The Health Ministry, Provincial Ministries, Health Services Directors and other health workers should get together and make a joint effort to eradicate the drug menace from society, said Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena.

Maithripala Sirisena

The minister was speaking on the occasion of declaring 2013 as the year of preventing non-communicable diseases at the office of the North Western Provincial Director of Health Services.

The minister said the government makes an untiring effort and spends a large sum of money to protect the health of the people. Nearly 50 million of paracetamol tablets are issued by government hospitals monthly. The number of tablets issued by pharmacies and private hospitals is not known. Modern technology has made people unhealthy, he said.

"We have framed a five-year plan for the uplift of the health condition of the people. We expect the co-operation of health workers to implement the plan, he said.

North Western Provincial Health Minister Ashoka Wadigamangawa said there had not been a co-ordination between the Health Ministry and Provincial Health Ministries. Health Minister Sirisena has taken steps to solve this problem.

Health Ministry Secretary Dr Nihal Jayathilleke said it was revealed that 70 percent of the country's deaths are caused by non-communicable diseases. Nearly 650 such deaths occur everyday.

Provincial Chief Minister Athula Wijesinghe, Deputy Minister Jayarathne Herath, Provincial Council chairman R D Wimaladasa and Provincial Health Director Dr R M S Rathnayake also spoke.