President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said special attention should be paid to protect those who are suffering from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) from the Covid-19 virus.
Medical experts have pointed out that 93% of Covid-19-related deaths reported within the past few days in Sri Lanka, as well as in other countries, were due to people suffering from NCD being infected. People with heart ailments, diabetes, kidney problems, and cancer are more vulnerable to virus infection. Most of the deaths have occurred without displaying symptoms of the virus and subsequent PCR tests have confirmed that they were Covid-19-infected.
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President Gotabaya Rajapaksa[/caption]
He then directed relevant parties to give priority to address this situation and disseminate applicable guidelines and conduct awareness campaigns soon to protect those suffering from NCDs.
The President made these remarks during the daily briefing with the members of the Task Force on Covid-19 Prevention held at the Presidential Secretariat on Wednesday (11).
During the meeting, what measures should be taken, what areas are to be studied to protect people, and how to ensure their overall health security in the event of the emergence of similar viruses in the future were also discussed at length.
While recognising hardships faced by the people in accessing major hospitals, the President emphasised that the regional dispensary system across the country should be made fully functional as soon as possible. He also said that required resources such as doctors, nurses, midwives, and other staff members should be attached to these dispensaries expeditiously.
He said that it should be continuously monitored whether the parties involved in delivering goods to isolated areas are adhering to proper mechanisms, adding that no one should be allowed to enter or leave these designated areas.
Meanwhile, the current situation at prisons and measures taken to prevent further spread of the disease were also discussed in length.
The President instructed the relevant officials to take necessary steps to prevent movement from the Western Province, where the majority of the Covid-19 infections were identified, to other parts of the country.
Ministers of Health Pavithra Wanniarachchi, Minister of Mass Media Keheliya Rambukwella, MPs Premanath C. Dolawatta, Pramitha Bandara Tennakoon, Principal Advisor to the President Lalith Weeratunga, and members of the Task Force were present at the discussion.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa[/caption]
He then directed relevant parties to give priority to address this situation and disseminate applicable guidelines and conduct awareness campaigns soon to protect those suffering from NCDs.
The President made these remarks during the daily briefing with the members of the Task Force on Covid-19 Prevention held at the Presidential Secretariat on Wednesday (11).
During the meeting, what measures should be taken, what areas are to be studied to protect people, and how to ensure their overall health security in the event of the emergence of similar viruses in the future were also discussed at length.
While recognising hardships faced by the people in accessing major hospitals, the President emphasised that the regional dispensary system across the country should be made fully functional as soon as possible. He also said that required resources such as doctors, nurses, midwives, and other staff members should be attached to these dispensaries expeditiously.
He said that it should be continuously monitored whether the parties involved in delivering goods to isolated areas are adhering to proper mechanisms, adding that no one should be allowed to enter or leave these designated areas.
Meanwhile, the current situation at prisons and measures taken to prevent further spread of the disease were also discussed in length.
The President instructed the relevant officials to take necessary steps to prevent movement from the Western Province, where the majority of the Covid-19 infections were identified, to other parts of the country.
Ministers of Health Pavithra Wanniarachchi, Minister of Mass Media Keheliya Rambukwella, MPs Premanath C. Dolawatta, Pramitha Bandara Tennakoon, Principal Advisor to the President Lalith Weeratunga, and members of the Task Force were present at the discussion.