WHO to provide COVID-19 vaccination to 20% of Sri Lankans

WHO has agreed to vaccinate about 20% against COVID-19, Sri Lanka Ministry of Health said in a press release. However, vaccination for COVID-19 immunity is yet to be invented. 

The press release said that WHO agreed to this at a discussion held at the Ministry of Health. Minister of Health Pavithra Wanniarachchi, State Minister of Production, Supply and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals Prof. Channa Jayasumana, WHO representative to Sri Lanka Dr. Razia Pendse, Secretary to the Ministry of Health Major General Dr. Sanjiva Munasinghe and Director General of Health Dr. Aseka Gunawardane participated in this discussion. 

A special committee was appointed by the Minister of Health to study and plan logistics for the immunization process. 

WHO website says, "Many potential vaccines for COVID-19 are being studied, and several large clinical trials may report results later this year. If a vaccine is proven safe and effective, it must be approved by national regulators, manufactured to exacting standards, and distributed. WHO is working with partners around the world to help coordinate key steps in this process. Once a safe and effective vaccine is available, WHO will work to facilitate equitable access for the billions of people who will need it."

However, WHO further says, "We don’t yet know exactly when a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine will be ready for distribution, but we estimate that it could be in early to mid-2021."

Read more in WHO website about COVID-19 vaccine. 

(Photo: WHO)

23,000 cancer patients diagnosed in Sri Lanka annually; one-third of them preventable

Dr. Janaki Vidanapathirana, Acting Director, National Cancer Control Programme points out that around 23,000 people are diagnosed with cancer every year in Sri Lanka. "I am requesting the media, who hold immense power, curate content that will decrease the taboo, encourage early detection and drive people to access services to help save lives,” she asked recently at a ceremony held to launch a web platform for awareness on cancer prevention called Aayu.plus

Issuing a press release to mark the launch of the web platform, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) said, "It is estimated by the World Health Organization (WHO) that one-third of cancers can be prevented through healthy lifestyle choices. Yet cervical and breast cancer are a global public health issue that is currently claiming millions of innocent lives, with more than two-thirds of these cases occurring in the developing countries where the health sector lacks the capacity and infrastructure to combat the threat effectively. Breast cancer and cervical cancer are the most common types of cancer among women in Sri Lanka."

Owing to the tremendous impact of modifiable factors on cancer risk, it has been estimated that at least one-third of all cancers are preventable, the Aayu platform says. Cancer prevention is characterized as a reduction in cancer mortality by reducing the occurrence of cancer. This includes reducing exposure to modifiable risk factors, along with population-based screening, to enable early detection of pre-cancer lesions.

Following factors have been identified in Sri Lanka as modifiable risk factors for cancers. 

• Tobacco use
• Physical inactivity
• Overweight and Obesity
• Alcohol consumption
• Unhealthy diet
• Unprotected sex for certain types of cancers
• Chewing of arecanut

A psychiatric patient beaten to drown in Colombo as police observes the crime

(October 30, Colombo - Lanka Polity) Sri Lanka's Colombo Crime Division is investigating an incident of police or any other group assaulting a psychiatric patient compelling the latter to jump to sea and to drown.

The ill-fated man reportedly threw stones at trains running  along the coastal railway in Colombo city off Babbalapitiya railway station. Two persons suspected to be the members of either police or the security forces beat him to drown in sea in the attempt to escape from attacks. Lakbima newspaper reported that the police and a large number of others were observing the crime without taking action. The newspaper also said that a private television channel, TNL, has videoed the crime.(Watch video)

Sri Lanka Navy divers were searching for the corpse of the dead man yesterday (29) evening.

Protecting human rights of the psychiatric patients is very low in Sri Lanka. Many of the psychiatric patients are among the lowest income groups in the society and they are in extreme poverty. Lack of free medicine in public hospitals and the unavailability of viable welfare service for these persons have resulted public nuisance.

Around 2% of Sri Lankans are suffering from serious mental illnesses, according to WHO records. However, the country has 35 psychiatricians for the entire 20 million population.