The Health Services Trade Union convened a media briefing on
Thursday to explain the present situation that has arisen regarding milk
powder.
Co-Chairperson of Health Services Trade Union, Ravi Kumudesh
shared these following views
“There were no reports when arrests were made relating to
Botulinum in Milk or the Botulinum poisonous agent. There are many institutions
that are attached to the Ministry of Health for this purpose. Despite
possessing all the necessary facilities, a ban was imposed on these dairy
products without confirming anything. Investigations were conducted after
imposing a ban. When the ban came into effect, an unidentified Mafia took
measures to create unrest within the general public by transforming this into a
serious problem.
However
today, a responsible institution, the Medical Research Institution, consisting
of high ranking officials, specialists and trained individuals, which
incidentally belongs to the Ministry of Health confirmed that not a single
sample contained traces of Clostirium. It has been days since the
test proved today. One can say that drinking fresh milk is better.
Similarly, one can say that it is better to live in the jungle. These are personal opinions of people. But the consumer in this country should have the freedom to decide what to eat or drink. If the Ministry of Health or anyone else is responsible for it, then facts should be proven scientifically instead of mixing economic, political or other policies into it. That is wrong. I cannot ask the general public to accept my policy."
Health
trade union confederation finds fault with Technology Ministry
September 13, 2013, 7:54 am - By Dilanthi Jayamanne
The Health
Service Trade Union Confederation (HSTUC) yesterday accused the Ministry of
Technology, Research and Atomic Energy (MTRAE) of interfering in the affairs of
the Health Ministry by carrying out DCD tests on imported milk powder.
Addressing
an emergency Press Conference, HSTUC Joint Chairman Ravi Kumudesh alleged that
the Minister of MTRAE and the Industrial Technological Institute (ITI) had
flouted the authority of the Health Ministry by meddling with matters which
were not under its purview.
The ITI
first said that it was unable to conduct the tests for the dangerous agro
chemical dicyandiamide (DCD) which resulted in the Health Ministry being forced
to seek assistance from a laboratory facility in Thailand. The test results
proved negative.
Kumudesh
said that the ITI had received the necessary piece of equipment for testing DCD
by then. Tests were carried out from market samples while the results were not
handed over to the Ministry of Health but to a trade union in the health
sector. Kumudesh alleged that it had been highly unethical of the Minister of
MTRAE and the ITI to overlook the authority of the Health Ministry in favour of
a trade union.
The annoyed
Joint President said that the action showed the lack of faith in the
capabilities of the Health Ministry and its affiliated institutions. It also
undermined the authority of the Health Minister. He urged the two ministries to
formulate a proper system through which all parties concerned could toe the
line together rather than one trying to override the other’s authority.
Meanwhile
the HSTUC Joint President said that the Ministry should take immediate steps to
release the second report which had been submitted by the ITI on imported milk
powder which was allegedly contaminated with DCD.
The ITI submitted its first report, on July 26
in which batches of several imported milk powder samples had tested positive
for the agro chemical. However a second report had been issued on the 2nd of
this month. It revealed that one batch of milk powder which had tested positive
the first time had tested negative when tests had been carried out on the same
batch of a sample of the same brand of milk powder. The result had also been
submitted to the Health Ministry which it had failed to release to the Public,
he added.
However
Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said recently that no stone would be left
unturned to protect the country’s children. The ITI did not have the required
equipment when the Health Ministry approached it first but later on the
required items were made available for testing.
"Although
neither the ITI nor the WHO had been able to assess the extent of the harm that
could be caused by the agro chemical, the government is not prepared to allow
the children of this country to be used as guinea pigs," he added
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