91% of children have been vaccinated for Measles – Dr. Ramesh Pathirana

Health Minister Dr. Ramesh Pathirana announced that 91 percent of the children in the island have been vaccinated for measles,  a crucial step in combating a recent resurgence of the disease after eradication.

“Following a concerning rise in measles cases in Sri Lanka, we launched targeted programs and successfully vaccinated 91% of children in a matter of weeks, effectively shielding them from this preventable disease.” he said

Dr Pathirana said that tackling non-communicable diseases (NCDs) remains a major challenge. Over 20% of Sri Lankans battle diabetes and the country holds the dubious distinction of having the highest prevalence of high blood pressure among over-35s in South Asia. Amidst a rapidly aging population, Sri Lanka is proactively addressing the rise of non-communicable diseases like memory impairment, eye diseases, and bone diseases through dedicated programs.

Dengue fever, is another pressing concern at the moment. “Combatting the rapid spread of dengue fever is a top priority, and we’re calling for all hands on deck! While we’re working closely with health and security departments, public cooperation is crucial to curbing this outbreak”, the minister said.

(PMD)