Sarvodaya organises walk in Monaragala to raise awareness on malaria

SARVODAYA District Coordinators, together with the central and provincial Malaria offices, has organised a walk and seminar to be held in Monaragala town on 14 June 2011 to raise awareness on malaria, and get community involvement to eradicate it from Sri Lanka.

The event will be graced by Chief Minister of Uva Province Shashindra Rajapaksha and Health Minister of Uva Province A.M. Buddhadasa. A large number of volunteers of Sarvodaya Movement, officers of the regional anti-malaria office, representatives of other governmental and non-governmental organisations and journalists are expected to participate in the walk.  

The year 2009 saw over 100 malaria patients reported from the Monaragala District alone, followed by a considerable number of patients being reported in the year 2010 too. As a result of many programmes conducted by Government and non-government organisations, the spread of the decease has now been controlled and the walk and seminar will be part of the activities intended to eradicate malaria from the district and the country.  

The walk will start at 9 a.m. on 14 June 2011 near Mahanama National School in Monaragala and proceed via Monaragala Kachcheriya Junction and will end at the Youth Service Hall. A seminar on the Importance of Community Involvement to eradicate malaria from Sri Lanka has also been organised to be held after the completion of the walk.

The walk is part of a range of activities conducted by Sarvodaya Community Health Unit to eradicate malaria which is funded by The Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis & Malaria (GFATM). Sri Lanka has now reached the stage of eradicating malaria, and to achieve this objective, Sarvodaya Community Health Unit conducts various activities to raise awareness, empower communities, increase community involvement and educate the public.

Sarvodaya held malaria walks and other awareness building programmes in Kurunegala, Polonnaruwa, Kilinochchi and Batticaloa recently with a highly enthusiastic participation from distinguished dignitaries, officers of Government and non-governmental organisations and the general public.