Tuesday Oct 08, 2024
Tuesday Oct 08, 2024
Saturday, 29 June 2013 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
He said this at the meeting held to mark the Public Health Association’s 78th Anniversary and the centenary of the Public Health Service in Sri Lanka, at the Convention Hall, Colombo on June 27th. The Minister was the Chief Guest at the event.
The country’s Public Health Service commenced in 1913 when the officers were known as Sanitary Inspectors. In 1954 the name was changed to Public Health Inspectors who were at the time trained by the Royal Sanitary Institute, (now known as the Royal Society for Public Health) London. Presently around 1950 PHIs are working island-wide and around 95% of them are members of the association.
Their main duties include controlling infectious diseases, ensuring food hygiene and safety, healthy environments, health requirements of schools and work places and launching health education programmes. They are also expected to take legal action against those who violate the law in matters relating to health and hygiene.
Minister Rajapaksa lauded the services PHIs have performed so far and regretted the many problems they faced during the course of their work. He added that their 100 years of service to society was exemplary.
Health Minister Maitripala Sirisena, Western Provincial Health Minister Jagath Angage, Health Ministry Secretary Dr. Nihal Jayatilleke, Health Ministry Director General Dr. Palitha Maheepala, Deputy Director General Dr. Sarath Amunugama and a large number of members of the PHIs Association attended the meeting.
