Sri Lanka, a malaria-free country

The World Health Organization's (WHO) team of specialists, sent to study the malaria situation in the country, has completed investigations. The WHO sent this team as a prelude to declaring Sri Lanka as a Malaria Free Country.

Health Ministry sources said the team conducted their investigations in the Hambantota, Jaffna and Anuradhapura districts and visited state hospitals, MOH offices and laboratories and met the public as well.

The team was headed by Dr. Chusak Prasattisuk and comprised Dr. M. Rahman, Dr. P.L.Joshi, Dr. L. Otega and Dr. Dick Clayton.

The team has also held a special discussion with the Minister of Health Maithripala Sirisena and other Ministry officials. Minister Sirisena has pointed out to the team that in 1937, over 80,000 persons died in Sri Lanka within a period of six months from malaria since, at that time, it was spread throughout the country, affecting over 1.3 million people.

He has said that only three cases have been reported this year from the 23 reported last year.

The Minister has also pointed out that malaria cases were detected among foreigners arriving in the country and they were provided with necessary treatment. -news.lk