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NATA, WHO to create smoke free zones
Second hand smoking causes about 890,000 premature deaths a year worldwide
By Ifham Nizam
The National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA), Sri Lanka, in partnership with the World Health Organisation, has initiated a project to set up 362 Smoke Free Zones (SFZs) in Sri Lanka to protect the general public from tobacco smoke, said Supun Lahiru Prakash, Researcher on Smoke Free Zones, and introduced a 10-step process for establishing Smoke Free Zones in Sri Lankan context. NATA Chairman Dr. Samadhi Rajapaksa said exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke (SHS) was a serious threat to the health of the public and it caused death and disease in non-smoking adults and children. “It is a harmful mixture of two forms of smoke, produced from burning tobacco products, such as cigarettes, cigars, or pipes, and smoke that has been exhaled by smokers.
“There is no safe level of exposure identified to SHS. In adults, SHS causes serious cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, such as coronary heart disease, lung cancer, and stroke,” he added In addition, SHS causes low birth weight in pregnant women and sudden death in infants. At least half of children regularly breathe the air polluted from tobacco smoke in public settings. Ear infections, more frequent and severe asthma attacks, respiratory symptoms (coughing, sneezing, and shortness of breath) and respiratory infections (bronchitis and pneumonia) are some of the health issues caused by SHS to children. SHS causes about 890,000 premature deaths per annum. Children accounted for 28% of the deaths attributable to SHS in 2004. Therefore, eliminating smoking at all homes, worksites, and public places is essential in order to fully protect non-smokers from SHS. There are different strategies employed in combating tobacco-related health issues all over the world. The World Health Organization Framework Convention for Tobacco Control (WHO-FCTC) promotes smoke-free cities as an effective tobacco control strategy.
Sri Lanka is the fifth country in the South-east Asian Region to sign the Framework Convention for Tobacco Control and the first country in the region to ratify it.According to the guidance of WHO-FCTC, the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol Act, No. 27 of 2006 was enacted in Sri Lanka supporting preventive measures regarding alcohol and tobacco use. Sri Lanka, while the overall smoking prevalence has shown a downward trend, SHS exposure at home remains a significant problem, despite the recent laws enacted to prohibit smoking in public places.
Women and children are highly vulnerable; it is they who inevitably breathe in SHS due to the high prevalence of male household members who use tobacco. The National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol of Sri Lanka has taken the initiative in carrying out a National programme for establishing ‘Smoke Free Zones’ for combating SHS with the help of Public Health Inspectors (PHIs) who are the main coordinators at the grass root level in 2015. During 2015 – November 2019, there were 253 SFZs established in 102 Medical Officer of Health divisions in 20 districts of nine provinces.The highest number of SFZs was established in 2018 (95) followed by 2019 (63), 2016 (55), and 2017 (35). Ninety-six percent (96%) of SFZs were sustained up to the end of 2019; however, the attention was given by PHI lesson due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the attempt to establish SFZs in the island again by the NATA should be very much appreciated.
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
