It has been reported that an increasing number of people in the North Western and the North Central Provinces in Sri Lanka have been falling sick recently due to a fast-spreading kidney disease, the cause of which is not known yet. According to Dr. Anada Gunasekera, Director / National Blood Transfusion Service, Colombo, who was in Washington D.C. last week for creating a wider awareness of this strange disease, most of the victims appear to be farmers, breadwinners of the low income families located in the affected areas, particularly in Kurunegala and Anuradhapura districts.

Note: Anuradhapura and Kurnegala, the capital cities of the most affected provinces, North Central and North Western are highlighted in red color.

The current figure of kidney patients has risen over 3000. As the cause of the disease has not been established yet, all what can be done at the moment is to control symptoms by giving adequate dialysis at the early stage to prevent them going to chronic renal failure, a condition, which is irreversible. Since this strange disease is reaching endemic proportions, hospitals in the respective provinces find it impossible to cope with the number of patients, who visit them for treatments.

The Ministry of Healthcare & Nutrition of Sri Lanka is seeking the generous support of the Sri Lankan expatriates in acquiring additional dialysis machines for hospitals in Kurunegala and Anuradhapura Districts. The Health authorities of Sri Lanka are prepared to accept even the used machines, provided they are good in condition.

Please click on the following link for the presentation made by Dr. Gunasekera at the Embassy on 20th Feb. 2009, which provided more details on the disease as well as the assistance needed from the expatriates.

Click here for the presentation

Kindly contact Dr. Gunasekera for specifications of the dialysis machines needed by the above hospitals. His contact details are as follows.

Dr. Ananda Gunasekera
Director / National Blood Transfusion Service - Colombo
Cell: (0094) 777 300 127 / E-mail : dakguna@sltnet.lk

The Embassy would be pleased to extend every possible assistance to get any donated dialysis machines / equipment cleared from Sri Lanka Customs free of duty and other levies.

Embassy of Sri Lanka
Washington DC
USA

27 February 2009