General

The Sectoral Oversight Committee (SOC) on Health, Mass Media, and Women’s Empowerment reviewed the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA) and Jaffna Teaching Hospital. This meeting took place in Parliament on January 21, led by MP Dr. Nihal Abeysinghe, as reported by the Department of Communication of Parliament. During the discussion about NATA, officials revealed that around 22,000 people die each year in Sri Lanka due to tobacco and alcohol use, leading to an estimated economic loss of Rs. 225-240 billion annually. They mentioned that efforts are underway to change the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol Act by adding important legal measures to tackle this issue effectively. Officials also pointed out that 104 countries have banned the sale of single cigarettes and stressed the need for similar legislation in Sri Lanka. They noted that health warnings on cigarette packs are not seen when cigarettes are sold individually. Additionally, they called for taxes on cigarettes to be set after evaluating their prices. The Chair of the Committee expressed full support for the proposed changes to the Act and other initiatives by NATA. Following this, the committee reviewed the Jaffna Teaching Hospital, where hospital officials updated members on its current operations. They mentioned the increasing demand for more staff to improve and expand medical care and services.