Stop eating junk food warns Cancer Society:

Cancer detected in many school children

by Ananda KANNANGARA

The Sri Lanka Cancer Society (SLCS) last week highlighted that nearly 100,000 school children in the country are diagnosed with cancer and called upon the younger generation to refrain from consuming Genetically Modified Food (GMF).

The Cancer Society also advises the younger generation to consume more natural food items such as green vegetables, fruit and cereals instead of having junk food and processed meats and artificial beverages.

According to SLCS reports cancer causes hundreds of thousands of deaths annually in the world, especially in developing countries while another large number of people in developed and developing countries suffer from various cancerous ailments, due to lack of treatment.

SLCS Public Education Officer, Gamini Karunanayake told the Junior Observer that the society very often conducts prevention and control of cancer awareness programmes in schools and various other educational institutions such as technical colleges for the benefit of the younger generation.

Quoting World Health Organisation (WHO) reports, Karunanayake said that nearly 12.5 per cent deaths worldwide are currently caused by cancer. He said that HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria are the other three major causes of deaths.

Karunanayake said that cancer is a rapidly expanding epidemic and it occurs when certain cells of the body grow and multiply at abnormal and uncontrollable rates.

He said school children must know that cancer could be cured if detention is made early and therefore public awareness campaigns on cancer is vital to prevent the disease. He also said the SLCS owns a Cancer Hospice `Shantha Sevena', near the Maharagama Cancer Hospital to treat terminally ill patients and also a Cancer Home to provide treatment to cancer patients who are referred by the Cancer Hospital, Maharagama.

According to health reports, lung cancer in males and breast cancer in females are the most common cancers worldwide.

He said cancer could affect people of all ages and therefore citizens of all ages must be educated about the disease, early detection and also prevention methods

He also said the Society conducts monthly Poly Clinics at their Headquarters in Colombo 7 and said that paps smearing testing, dental and a general clinic is conducted for cancer patients free of charge.

Karunanayake said tobacco smoking, uncontrolled use of pesticides and weedicides, chewing tobacco with betel, using heroin and other dangerous drugs and environmental pollution also cause cancer.

New archaeological zones to be set up

by Rohana JAYALAL

The Central Cultural Fund (CCF) has taken steps to declare an archaeological zone called the Wayamba Cultural Square in the Kurunegala district, the Central Cultural Fund Director General Prof. Sudarshana Seneviratne told the Junior Observer.

According to a concept of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the CCF will launch this project in stages. As the first phase, the CCF has decided to set up new archaeological zones in the Panduwasnuwara and Yapahuwa electorates. Firstly, the development and conservation of ancient temples, villages, industries and frescoes will be undertaken. The aim of setting up of the archaeological zone is to preserve archaeological sites in the Yapahuwa and Kurunegala kingdoms and to maintain existing ancient villages where these archaeological sites are situated. These sites will also be developed as tourist attractions. These areas will be excavated and conserved fromthis month for five years.

The Government would invest about five million rupees for the purpose. After the successful completion of this project, the CCF plans to extend this project to Dambadeniya, Munnesvaram and other areas in the Kurunegala District, he said.He said that such archaeological zones in the Northern and Eastern Provinces would also be set up in the near future by the Central Cultural Fund.

World Press Freedom Day

The important role the print and elctronic media plays in bringing the latest news around the world to you is something everyone is aware of.

However, the media is not always free to focus on issues as freely as they would want to due to various reasons. You may be familiar with the ongoing battles for freedom of the press which is witnessed around the world, including our country.

It is because of these reasons that a special day has been introduced to focus on world press freedom. The United Nation's Genenral Assembly declared May 3 as World Press Freedom Day. The main objective is to raise awareness of the importance of freedom of the press and remind governments of their duty to respect and uphold the right to freedom of expression enshrined under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

This day also marks the anniversary of the Declaration of Windhoek, a statement of free press principles put together by African newspaper journalists in 1991.

World Press Freedom Day is celebrated across the globe every year representing an opportunity to commemorate the fundamental principles of press freedom and to pay solemn tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

UNESCO's celebration of World Press Freedom Day 2010 will highlight the importance of freedom of information as an integral part of freedom of expression and its contribution to democratic governance. It will foster reflection and exchange of ideas on freedom of information to advance empowerment, transparency, accountability and the fight against corruption, as well as on the key obstacles that the effective exercise of the right to know faces in today's digitalised world.

News briefs

* According to a Nutrition and Food Security Survey conducted by the Nutrition Department of the Medical Research Institute in collaboration with UNICEF and the World Food Programme, last year in nine districts, one in four children suffer from malnutrition. While accute malnutrition among children under five is 12 per cent, chronic malnutrition (stunting) is 19 per cent.

* Large crowds have flocked to the Aluthwala Sri Nandarama Temple in Hikkaduwa following the discovery of a huge Buddha statue made of granite believed to be about 500 years old.

* The 18-metre long old world Arabian ship, the Jewel of Muscat is scheduled to reach Singapore in June.

A replica of the 9th century Arab trading vessel, the Jewel of Muscat is on a historic voyage sailing from Oman to Singapore. It set sail from the Omani port of Sultan Qaboos using 9th century navigation techniques and arrived in India on March 15 in 28 days.

It left the Kerala port of Cochin on April 10 and arrived in Galle on April 19. It will sail across the Bay of Bengal to reach its final destination - Singapore where it'll be kept in a museum.