Sent from Windows Mail From: Peiris Manjari Sent: Wednesday, September 4, 2013 8:26 AM To: a...@fctc.org Daily News – www.dailynews.lk Wednesday, September 4, 2013 Minister Maithripala pursued anti- tobacco fight unafraid of various challenges’ - Dr. Armando Peruga Rasika Somarathna Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena yesterday received the World Health Organization’s (WHO) ‘World No Tobacco Day Award - 2013’ for excellence in tobacco control, from President Mahinda Rajapaksa at a ceremony held at the BMICH. Minister Sirisena was also bestowed with “Harvard Health Leader of the Year Award” in recognition of his contributions to control tobacco use and to improve public health in general. Speaking at the ceremony held to honour Minister Sirisena’s twin achievements, Dr. Armando Peruga, Programme Manager-Tobacco Free Initiatives (WHO) Geneva said Minister Sirisena had worked tirelessly to control tobacco use in Sri Lanka amidst difficulties and challenges. He commended the decision taken by the Minister to introduce large pictorial warnings on cigarette packets while noting that the Minister had pursued this goal unbowed and unafraid of the various challenges coming from the tobacco industry. While pointing out that tobacco ranks on top of threats to human health, globally Dr.Peruga said tobacco use kills 600,000 worldwide annually, one every six seconds. In Sri Lanka number of deaths due to tobacco use exceeds 12,000, he added. Delivering the key note address, Minister of Health of Thailand Dr.Pradit Sintavanarong, said his country too had followed Sri Lanka’s example by introducing large pictorial warnings on tobacco packaging. The Minister said he too had faced numerous challenges in trying to implement such regulations and added that three tobacco companies had taken him to court over the matter. Prof. Diyanath Samarasinghe noted that the twin international recognitions earned by Minister Sirisena was also a victory for the government and people of Sri Lanka. He described in detail the harmful effects that tobacco use causes to health, and the Ministers efforts at controlling the menace. The event was attended by Ambassadors, High Commissioners, Ministers, MP’s, foreign delegates, artistes, literati, health officials and the public.
