Three more communicable diseases under control | Daily News

Three more communicable diseases under control

Sri Lanka will be able to eliminate Measles, Rubella and Congenital Rubella soon, Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Samitha Ginige said.

Dr. Ginige said Sri Lanka has already eliminated several communicable diseases diseases such as Polio, Diphtheria, neonatal tetanus, whooping cough and small pox. At the moment, the National Immunisation Programme vaccinates the population against 13 fatal diseases.

The excellent communicable diseases surveillance system and the wide coverage of the National Immunisation Programme assisted the country to control communicable diseases successfully. The last Neonatal Tetanus patient was reported from Sri Lanka in 2010 and the last Polio patient reported from the country in 1993. The last Diphtheria patient had been reported from the country in 1991.

In addition some other diseases such as Japanese Encephalitis and Hepatitis B,are rarely reported from Sri Lanka, he said.Life expectancy of Sri Lankans has improved significantly.

In 1940s, the life expectancy of Sri Lankan people was 40 or 50 years, but today, a Sri Lankam man lives an average of 72 years, while a Sri Lankan woman lives around 78 years, he added.


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