News
New trend among some SL parents not to have infants vaccinated
By Rathindra Kuruwita
There is a trend among some Sri Lankan parents not to have their infants vaccinated and this could lead to disastrous consequences, officials from National Programme for Tuberculosis Control and Chest Diseases (NPTCCD) says.
In certain developed nations, some parents start vaccinating their children only after a year or so after they were born and Sri Lankan parents who find out about this on the Internet, had also started delaying vaccinations, the official said.
“Children from developed nations in North America and Europe are not exposed to the same level of communicable diseases as we do due to climatic and other factors. However, things are different in tropical countries and developing nations. Children, until they reach five, have very low immunity. They develop resistance to diseases after contracting them. When it comes to more serious diseases like tuberculosis, the question to consider is that do we give the children a vaccine or take the risk of letting them develop immunity by contracting the disease,” Dr. Mizaya Cader, team lead of the Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation Unit at the NPTCCD said.
Dr. Cader said that vaccination had been a main reason for Sri Lanka’s good health indicators and tuberculosis among Sri Lankan children was very low. Only about 215 children contracted tuberculosis in Sri Lanka per year, she said.
Dr. Cader said in comparable countries between 5 to 15 percent of tuberculosis patients were children, but the number was only three percent in Sri Lanka.
“Our successful vaccination drive may be the main reason for this low number,” she said.
In 2023, there were 9,538 reported cases of tuberculosis in Sri Lanka, and in 2022 only about 8,500. Dr. Cader said in many parts of the world the number of reported tuberculosis patients had increased.
She said that was due to distractions during the Covid-19 pandemic. The economic crisis which led to a drop in nutritional levels might also have led to a drop in people’s immunity. This might be leading to higher cases of tuberculosis. About 25 percent of tuberculosis patients we come across have a low Body mass index.”
Moreover, those with diabetes, kidney diseases, cancers, and others with conditions and behaviours that reduce immunity are also prone to tuberculosis, she said.
Director of the NPTCCD, Dr. Pramitha Shanthilatha Rathnayake said that in 2022 there had been only about 8,500 cases,. The reported number for 2023 was close to the numbers detected in 2015, she added.
Consultant Respiratory Physician Dr. Neranjan Dissanayake, said that it was extremely important for people to know that they have tuberculosis and seek treatment. A tuberculosis patient who does not seek treatment, could at least spread the diseases among 12 people a year, on average, he said.
“Even when you take meds, you can spread it to others for about six weeks from the day you start taking the medicines. As long as you don’t take medicine, you will keep on spreading the diseases to others. Also, without treatment, 70 percent of people with tuberculosis in the lungs will die within two years.”
Dr. Dissanayake said there were about four main drugs used to treat tuberculosis. During the first two months, a patient is given all four drugs. In some countries there are variants that are resistant to these drugs.
However, luckily there are only a very limited number of cases of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis here, Dr. Dissanayake added. “These drugs are mild and even pregnant women can take them.”
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
