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Health Minister tells WHO saving lives and protecting the population has become Sri Lanka’s highest priority
Saving lives and protecting the population has become Sri Lanka’s highest priority, says Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella.
Addressing the 74th conference of the WHO’s South East Asia Region via zoom technology, the Minister said that the government was doing its best to contain the pandemic through a combination of proven public health and social measures and accelerated Covid-19 vaccination, especially for the priority and vulnerable population.
The text of Minister Rambukwella’s address: Sri Lanka would like to congratulate Dr. Poonam Singh, the Regional Director, for the excellent and comprehensive report on our collective work in improving health and well-being in the region.
My sincere thanks go to the Regional Director for the strong support of the WHO extended to my country at all times, and especially during this challenging time. Many of our public health achievements in the past years have been achieved in partnership and with the strong technical guidance of the WHO.
In 2020, our health system has been put to the test by the COVID-19 pandemic and impacted severely on the economy. Despite this, Sri Lanka has made important strides. Our response was swift, coordinated and guided by the Sri Lanka Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan. At the same time, we were able to sustain the delivery of essential health services through innovative approaches – medicine delivery through postal services, outdoor mobile clinics in lockdown areas, reorientation of family planning services, mental health drugs delivery and services at the community level, among others.
Sri Lanka with the support of the WHO has leveraged the power of digital technology to train and mentor health staff through virtual platforms such as the NCD Learning Hub and learning management system linking more than 40 training institutions and to conduct meetings with peripheral health authorities. In addition, an innovative platform for real-time monitoring of Covid-19 using a mobile App was developed for health staff and the public.
To ensure access to quality and affordable medicines, the regulatory capacity of National Medicine Regulatory Authority is further enhanced through the implementation of an institutional development plan and benchmarking as well as development of National Medicines Policy 2020-2025.
Similar to the trend in the region, we are experiencing this year, the highest reported number of cases and deaths so far, with the spread of the Delta variant. We are doing our best to contain it through a combination of proven public health and social measures and accelerated Covid-19 vaccination, especially for the priority and vulnerable population – As of 5th September, we have vaccinated over 20 years 85.87% of the population with one dose and 61.94% with both doses.
For Sri Lanka, saving lives and protecting our population is our highest priority. We highly appreciate your tireless efforts for fair and equitable access to vaccines through the COVAX facility; and for the life-saving medical equipment and supplies. We highly value the strong and continuous support from the WHO Country office, South East Asia Regional Office and the WHO Headquarters, in responding to the demands of the pandemic and in ‘building back better’ the Sri Lankan health system towards achieving the goal of universal health coverage.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
