Reduce expenditure on drug imports: Better food habits, good health practices the answer: Pavithra

 By Sandun A Jayasekera

The Rs. 90 billion spent annually on drug imports is a big burden on the government and therefore it is pertinent to consider a strategy to reduce the drug import bill at least by half, with better food habits, good life style and superior health practices, Health and Indigenous Medical Services Minister Pavithradevi Wanniarachchi said.   
It is true to say that western medicinal drugs heal a particular illnesses when the doctor prescribes it but many of them are harmful to the human body as they affect the immune system, good bacteria or beneficial bacteria and give a plethora of side effects, she added.   

Addressing the ‘Health Media Award Ceremony 2019’ at the ‘Waters Edge’ Battaramulla yesterday, Minister Wanniarachchi went onto say that people in Sri Lanka in the good old days did not have any kind of diseases, ailments or so called Non Communicable Deceases (NCD) like today.   

“Diabetes, heart diseases, kidney failures and NCD are a result of the modernisation of human kind. Some of our kings have ruled the country for more than 70 years. How long must a king live to remain in power for seven decades? At least 90 years without any disease, difficulty or weakness. This means, the people in Sri Lanka have had good food habits, better medication & treatment methods and healthier life. This has changed today and people in Sri Lanka live a modern life amidst so many health problems. This has to be changed,” Minister Wanniarachchi stressed.   

 Minister Wanniarachchi said one of the main contributory factors for NCD is eating of food made of wheat flour, excessive use of sugar, salt and lack of ample physical activity.   

“What is worse is that many of the western drugs prescribed by doctors for many of our ailments are poisonous and give us more health problems,” she added.   
“One of the priorities of the new government led by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is creating a health conscious nation. No country could achieve progress unless the nation is healthy and strong. That is why President Rajapaksa has made creating of a healthy nation, one of his top priorities in his election manifesto,” she emphasized.   

Minister Wanniarachchi paid tribute to the journalist community and to those health journalists in particular for their contribution to make Sri Lanka the healthiest country in the region.   
Director General of Health Services, Dr. Anil Jasinghe also spoke.   

The media personnel of the electronic and print media who had excelled in health promotion and prevention of diseases through their respective fields received awards from Minister Wanniarachchi.