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Lanka has no risk of Listeria spread yet – health authorities
Health authorities say there is no risk of Listeriosis caused by Listeria spreading in the country yet. Chief Epidemiologist of the Department of Epidemiology of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Samitha Ginige told the media that that there has been no spread of listeria in Sri Lanka yet.
However, Dr. Ginige also mentioned that it is essential for the people to be aware of listeria in order to protect themselves from this disease as listeriosis can cause complications for immunocompromised people.
“Recently, many things have been reported in various media and social media about Listeria disease. Listeriosis is a disease caused by bacteria. This is not a large-scale epidemic,” he said.
Listeriosis is a serious infection caused by the germ Listeria monocytogenes. People usually become ill with listeriosis after eating contaminated food. The disease primarily affects pregnant women, newborns, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems. He said the disease is usually spread from person to person through contaminated food.
“Healthy people do not show any symptoms. But rarely complications can occur, especially for those who are pregnant, receiving treatment for various diseases such as cancer, kidney, etc., those who have long-term medical conditions and immunocompromised people. This is the condition of this disease.”
“This is just a minor upset stomach for many healthy people. But an immunocompromised person can have complications and develop brain fever and rarely even death. This disease spreads to humans only after the food is exposed to the bacteria and eaten. There is a risk of spreading this especially through milk and milk-related foods. “
“Globally, the prevalence of this disease is very low. The number of cases is between 1 and 10 per million. Therefore, this is not a medical condition that should create an unnecessary fear of an epidemic situation. The first patient was reported from Sri Lanka in the last week of February. He is middle aged. Due to complications, he developed a brain fever and died. We have confirmed that it was due to Listeria.”
“Recently, only the aforementioned patient has been reported. There is no report of any other patient, but several other people who went to Sri Pada and became ill were hospitalized. Among them, two deaths were reported. According to the data we have, we could not find any connection between those two deaths and listeria. But the tissue tests are still being done on them.”
“Also, another person who went to Sri Pada and fell ill has now recovered. He also has no evidence of Listeria. Apart from that, no patient has been reported in Sri Lanka. Currently, there are no reports of patients suspected to be having Listeria from the samples tested. That is why it is said that there is no risk of Listeria spreading. The food and water samples we tested also did not report listeria.”
“Listeria bacteria is also spreading among animals. Such a thing can spread through food. Listeria symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, fever, abdominal pain, and body aches. But listeria is not the cause of stomach upset. However, be careful about the food you eat and water,” the health official cautioned.
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
