Lanka singled out as a success story in latest UNICEF Report

Remarkable drop in maternal, under-five mortality

Sri Lanka has won plaudits from UNICEF as a “model for developing countries” due to its excellent health indices related to mothers and infants.

The UNICEF’s State of the World’s Children’s Report 2009, released yesterday, said Sri Lanka’s achievements in scaling up health services for mothers and infants and its success in slashing maternal and neonatal mortality rates has made the lower middle income country a model for other developing nations. The UNICEF cited Sri Lanka as a strong example of how the health and survival of mothers and their newborns are linked and how many of the interventions that save new mothers’ lives also benefit their infants.

The country’s efforts to empower and educate women together with providing essential heath services have been vital in saving the lives and mothers and infants.

According to the Report, “Sri Lanka has managed to halve its maternal mortality rate every six to 11 years by adopting sound strategies, allocating sufficient resources, providing free health care, making education for all a priority and having the political commitment to improve the health of mothers and children”.

“While the country still faces challenges, the overall picture of maternal and neonatal health is one of remarkable progress over past decades,” said UNICEF’s representative in Sri Lanka Phillppe Duamelle. Between 1960 and 2005, the maternal mortality ratio fell from 340 to 44 per 100,000 live births. Since 1990 the under-five mortality rate has dropped from 32 per 1,000 live births to 13 per 1,000 in 2000. UNICEF has noted that Sri Lanka’s positive results are due in part to a considerable scaling up o essential health services for mothers and infants.

More than 95 per cent of births in Sri Lanka take place in hospitals with a doctor, skilled nurse or midwife in attendance. Immunisation coverage is almost universal at 99 per cent and rates of antenatal care are also high at 95 per cent.

“Measures to empower women through education, employment and social engagement have also had a positive impact on the health of mothers and children,” Duamelle said.

The data on Sri Lanka contrasts sharply with those on most other developing nations. The report reveals that women in the least developed countries are 300 times more likely to die in childbirth or pregnancy-related complications than women in developed countries. A child born in a developing country is 14 times more likely to die during the first month of life than a child born in a developed country.

More than half a million women worldwide die as a result of pregnancy or childbirth complications, including about 70,000 girls and young women aged 15 to 19. Since 1990, complications related to pregnancy and childbirth have killed an estimated 10 million women. The Report recommends that essential services be provided through health systems that integrate home, community, outreach and facility-based care.

Health services are most effective in an environment supportive of women’s empowerment, protection and education, the Report added.

Na sapling at Westminster House
President Mahinda Rajapaksa waters a Na sapling he planted at the British High Commissioner’s residence Westminster House garden as part of the ‘Go Green Campaign’ launched by the British High Commission. British High Commissioner D

The admission of Grade One students to Government schools for the year 2009 is in progress these days islandwide. Here, a group of students admitted to Grade One at Sangamiththa Balika Vidyalaya, Colombo 08 being conducted to the main hall by special guests for the occasion, Borella Zonal Director of Education K. R. W. Rajapakse, Yasodara Balika Vidyalaya, Colombo Principal Himali Rajakaruna, Sangamiththa Balika Vidyalaya Principal Vineetha Jayaweera and teachers. Picture by Saman Sri Wedage

r. Peter Hayes is also in the picture. Picture by Sudath Nishantha

Soon freedom to visit Solosmasthanaya

Chaminda PERERA

President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday assured the Maha Sangha that the Government would create an environment soon in which Buddhists could venerate without fear Solosmasthanaya where Buddha is believed to have visited.

The President was speaking via Satellite at the inauguration of the State program at the BMICH yesterday to commemorate the 2600th Anniversary of Buddha’s Enlightenment which falls on Vesak Full Moon day in 2011.

“I took the reins of the Government at a time when a part of the country had been handed over to the terrorists.

“Buddhists visiting Nagadeepaya, Deegavapiya and even Sri Maha Bodhiya would have been taxed by terrorists, if the Government had not initiated an action to liberate the areas forcibly held by them,” the President said.

The President said the Mahinda Chinthana has clearly outlined the government vision towards the disciplined society which is the key to the prosperity of a country.

The government faced the challenges of eradicating terrorism and illicit drug menace successfully. We don’t think twice when it comes to the eradication of the illicit drug menace, the President said.

The moral and physical development in a village should go hand in hand. We first focused the development of moral values in villages, before dividends of development are brought to the villages, the President said. “There was close connection between the people and the Buddhist monks of the villages and this bond helped protect the moral values and culture, he said.

The Buddhasasana Karya Sadhaka Mandalaya has proposed a 20 point action plan to ensure the preservation of the Buddha Sasana as part of a program to celebrate the 2600th anniversary of Buddha’s Enlightenment.

This action plans is aimed at moral development by preserving Sinhala Buddhist Cultural identity. The President has also appointed a Task Force comprising 10 Buddhist monks and 10 lay members to monitor the implementation of this program within next three years. The members of this Task Force gave a complete outline of the action plan which will be implemented under the blessings of Mahanayake theras . This action plan has focused on standards of Dhamma education in schools importance of improving the quality of Pirivena and adult education.

Anunayake Thera of the Malwatta chapter of Siyam Nikaya Ven Niyangoda Vijithasiri Thera, Mahanayake of Asgiri Chapter Ven Udugama Sri Buddharakkhitha Thera, Mahanayake of Ramannya Maha Nikaya Most Ven. Weweldeniya Medhalankara thera and Mahanayake of Amarapura Nikaya Ven. Davuldena Gnannissara Thera delivered anusasana.

Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremenayake and Speaker W.J.M. Lokubandara were also present.

Forces take control of Dharmapuram

Rafik JALALDEEN

Security Forces took control of one of the LTTE’s biggest townships, Dharmapuram while capturing the Tiger’s fifth air strip which merged with the dense jungle in the East of Iranamadu following intensive fighting yesterday.

Military spokesman Udaya Nanayakkara said troops of the 58 division poised to liberate the Vanni, launching multi-prolonged attacks regained Dharmapuram on Thursday afternoon; one of the biggest townships in the Paranthan-Mullaitivu road and 15km east of the A-09 road.

He said troops attached to the 58 division pushing further into Mullativu inflicted another setback on the LTTE cadres by capturing Dharmapuram. He said troops confronting stiff LTTE resistance, inflicted heavy damages to the Tiger cadres. In a subsequent search operation, troops recovered six bodies of the LTTE along with four T56 assault rifles, an MPMG weapon, two LTTE dog tags, an I-com set, a motorcycle and other items. Brigadier Nanayakkra said troops attached to the 632 Brigade (18 Vijayaba Regiment and 20 Sinha Regiment) located an LTTE air strip on Wednesday evening East of Iranamadu tank adjoining the old Kandy road.

In Airstrip around 1,100 metre long and 40 metre wide inside the dense Iranamadu jungle was captured by the Task Force-3 following intensive fighting yesterday noon,” he added.

Brigadier Nanayakkara said the LTTE runway was surrounded by massive bunker lines and trenches, as well as laid with landmines and booby traps.

“A hanger was also found in the vicinity which was damaged by fleeing LTTE cadres,” he added.

The Troops’ thrust to regain the entire Vanni region from the LTTE pushed the LTTE further from their defence lines following a series of confrontations in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu districts on Tuesday.

Brigadier Nanayakkara said over 400 civilians escaping from LTTE clutches had reached the Omanthai entry/exit point yesterday.