Minister of Health Keheliya Rambukwella said that Sri Lanka has been able to control tuberculosis (TB) through its multi-sectoral strategies.
The Minister said that the country is committed to eradicating TB by the year 2030.
This was stated by Minister Rambukwella at a conference on tuberculosis organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) yesterday (26).
The Minister said that various measures have been taken to control TB in Sri Lanka which has a strong health system.
He also pointed out that Sri Lanka has been able to provide the highest quality free health care to the people of the country.
The Minister said that some people in the urban areas of the country are facing the problem of TB and as a result, about 8,000 patients are still reported from Sri Lanka annually.
The Minister said that prisons, plantation areas, urban poor, domestic and out-of-state workers are among the high-risk groups and steps have been taken to combat TB through communication strategies to control this.
He said that the Department of Education is assisting in raising awareness about TB and is working with the Department of Social Services to provide assistance to patients in need to meet their needs.
The Minister said that the contribution of NGOs and community-based organizations in controlling the disease is immense.
Minister Rambukwella also said that Sri Lanka would receive global financial support and technical assistance from the World Health Organization (WHO) for the eradication of the disease.
