Health and Mass Media Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa has met the newly elected office-bearers of the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA), with the country’s escalating dengue outbreak dominating the discussion.
The meeting, held at the Ministry of Health and Mass Media, was also attended by Deputy Health Minister Dr. Hansaka Wijemuni. The Minister congratulated the GMOA’s new President Dr. Chandika Epitakaduwa, Secretary Dr. Bandara Warakagoda and the newly appointed executive committee, and said he looked forward to the association’s continued support in implementing the ministry’s plans for high-quality public healthcare.
The talks focused on the current dengue situation, dengue control measures, and the challenges faced by specialist doctors, medical officers, nurses and other health staff in treating a rising tide of dengue patients. GMOA Secretary Dr. Warakagoda presented the Minister with a report setting out the association’s proposals for dengue control.
The engagement comes as Sri Lanka’s dengue caseload has passed 67,000 for the year with 47 deaths recorded, prompting a special eradication drive across 60 high-risk zones. The GMOA had earlier urged the government to set up a presidential task force to confront what it called a “super epidemic.”
