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Medicare 2011:
An insight
into developments in health sector
by Ananda KANNANGARA
Schoolchildren who wish to pursue higher studies in the field of
medicine will get a rare opportunity to familiarise themselves with a
wide range of medicines and equipment used in the field at the Medical
Equipment and Pharmaceutical Exhibition which will be held at the BMICH
from March 4 to 6.
The Health Ministry in collaboration with several leading private
sector medical institutions in Sri Lanka will conduct the three day
exhibition-Medicare - 2011.
Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena told the Junior Observer that
the objective of conducting the exhibition is to create an awareness
among schoolchildren and also the general public about the new
development and infrastructure laid out by the government to improve the
health sector during the past several years.
A large number of representatives from China, Singapore, India,
Pakistan and several other countries will attend the exhibition.
Minister Sirisena said visitors will also be educated on the state
of-the-art healthcare technology, proper disease prevention methods,
effective treatment methods, the best services available in hospitals
and laboratories in the country.
He said schoolchildren who wish to be medical professionals in the
future could view sophisticated medical equipment and various kinds of
pharmaceutical that are manufactured to treat various illnesses.Health
seminar programmes for professionals in the field of medicine and
general public including schoolchildren will also be conducted during
the exhibition.
The Minister said the younger generation need to be aware of the
latest facilities provided by the Government to help them as they think
that hospitals still use age-old treatments without updating them.
He said the exhibition will stop our citizens seeking treatment
abroad, by-passing our experts, even for minor ailments due to
misconceptions.
The exhibition will be an ideal opportunity for the healthcare
service providers in the private sector also to showcase their latest
products and services to the general public and industry professionals.
Mahinda Rajapaksa National School, Homagama:
First to be opened
under 1,000 school programme
by Rohana JAYALAL
A new school named Mahinda Rajapaksa National School was opened on
January 20 at Homagama under the patronage of Prime Minister D.M.
Jayaratne and Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena.
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The first student being enrolled by the Prime Minister
D.M.Jayaratne. |
It is believed that the new school will prevent children in Homagama
seeking popular schools in Colombo. It has been built at the Mahenawatte
area Pitipana, Homagama. The premises span 20 acres. Admission of
children to the new school who had passed the Grade Five scholarship
examination was also done on this occasion.
At the opening ceremony, Prime Minister D.M. Jayarathne stated that
President Mahinda Rajapaksa's name will be written in the history along
with the Farther of Free Education, C.W.W. Kannangara. He also noted
that the President has rendered an indelible service to the country's
education system.
The Prime Minister was of the opinion that these thousand secondary
schools will make a great revolution in the country's education system.
The aim of the new program is to create a future generation who are
equipped with a modern education as well as discipline and patriotism.
The Prime Minister explained that the new national schools will also
help to eliminate congestion at popular schools.Meanwhile, Minister
Bandula Gunawardena addressing the event said that the new national
schools have novel features rather than traditional schools and has
taken the initiative to provide students with maximum facilities.
The Minister pointed out that the Education Ministry would soon
develop over 1,000 schools in urban, rural and remote areas throughout
the country to reduce the high demand for national and other prestigious
schools.
The school which is equipped with facilities to teach national and
international languages, modern laboratory and computer facilities is
the first school constructed under the Government's novel programme to
establish thousand secondary schools replete with advanced physical and
human resources throughout the country.
The new National School is a hundred percent Government owned mixed
school and will provide two additional hours of study for students from
grade six to thirteen. Unlike other schools, it would start at 7.30 am
and would go on till 3.30 pm. Almost 600 students could be admitted to
the new National School and steps would also be taken to teach an
additional language such as Chinese, French, German or Japanese other
than Sinhala, Tamil and English.
School competitions for World Water Day
Islandwide School Competitions are being organised by the National
Water Supply and Drainage Board, in connection with World Water Day
which falls on March 22.
Entries will be entertained from schoolchildren for the inter School
essays, posters, group songs and open short video pictures. This year's
theme of the Water Day is "Urban Water Managements".
The Essay Competition will be open for senior and junior level
students and the topics for the essays are `Water and Sanitation',
`Water Conservation' and `Future Water Challenges'.
More details about these competitions could be obtained from the
Public Relations Officer, Public Relations Unit, National Water Supply
and Drainage Board, Galle Road, Ratmalana. |
