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.

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.