SLMC to take disciplina​ry action against Eliyantha White

SLMC to take disciplina?ry action against Eliyantha White[ Wednesday, 06 July 2011, 08:42.21 AM GMT +05:30 ]The Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC), the governing body for western medical practice in Sri Lanka, said yesterday Eliyantha White who calls himself a doctor should be prosecuted under the Cosmetics, Devices and Drugs Act or the Penal Code if he had allegedly prescribed the drug Prednisolone to Sri Lanka cricketer Upul Tharanga.

SLMC Registrar Dr. N.J. Nonis responding to concerns raised by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) said no one by the name of Eliyantha White has been registered in the Sri Lanka Medical Council and therefore the SLMC had no disciplinary control over him.

“We do not have any information about his qualifications nor of his having been registries in the other two medical councils in Sri Lanka -- Ayurveda or Homoeopathy,” Dr. Nonis added.

Meanwhile, a Cosmetic Devices and Drugs Authority spokesman said it was a violation of the act if a person unqualified in allopathy prescribed allopathic drugs to anyone.

“Only a doctor registered under the SLMC is qualified and authorized to prescribe medicinal drugs in Sri Lanka. Those who violate the Cosmetic Devices and Drugs Act are liable for prosecution and punishment under the penal code,’ the spokesman said.

He said such a person if found guilty would be liable to a fine of up to Rs.50,000 or six months in jail or both.

“However, we need a formal complaint to act against a person who is said to have violated the act,” he said.

The spokesman said more than 30,000 quacks were known to practise western medicine, homeopathy and Ayurveda in Sri Lanka.

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UN warns of action in absence of Lanka probe

The UN�s human rights chief warned Sri Lanka not to take too long in probingwar crimes allegations, saying failure to carry out a credible inquiry couldlead to international action.

 

�There is now a high level of expectations expressed by member states that SriLanka should seriously inquire into these allegations� of prisoner executionsand assaults, said Navi Pillay, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

 

�But this should not be an open-ended process,� she stressed, noting that aprevious Sri Lankan internal inquiry �failed to complete its task, neverpublished its report and never led to a single prosecution.�

 

�If that should be the case again, there is an intention for the internationalcommunity to take further action. I certainly believe that the Human RightsCouncil should actively consider this matter,� said Pillay.

 

Pressure has mounted on Colombo since Britain�s Channel 4 broadcast adocumentary that showed what it said were prisoner executions and bodies offemale Tamil fighters who appeared to have been sexually assaulted.

 

A recent UN report accused government forces of war crimes, alleging that theyexecuted rebel leaders who had surrendered.

 

An estimated 100,000 people were killed in the nearly four-decade-long Tamilseparatist conflict, which began in 1972.

 

Pillay�s remarks echoed that of the United States, which on Tuesday urged SriLanka to move quickly to address allegations of war crimes.

 

Colombo has questioned the authenticity of the Channel 4 footage but said thata local panel, known as the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission, wouldtake action if the allegations are proven, AFP reports.

Strict action against material harmful to human health - Ministry of Health

Strict action against material harmful to human health - Ministry of Health[ Thursday, 30 June 2011, 07:56.13 AM GMT +05:30 ]No person shall import, manufacture, transport, advertise for sale, export for sale, sell, package, store, use or distribute any food packaging material or article which under normal and foreseeable conditions is injurious to human health, deteriorating the organoleptic character of food or changes the nature, substance and quality of food, with effect from July 1st , the Health Ministry said in a statement.

The statement adds that, every person who manufactures or imports any material or article intended to be used for the packaging of food shall be certified by the manufacturer to the effect that the raw material used in the manufacture of the packaging material or article meets the required quality or grade in compliance with international standards and that the packaging material or article is of food grade quality.

The Ministry adds that strict action would be taken against those who contravene the law.

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