President Sirisena further said that the innocent people in the country subjected to this disease and the government executed extensive programmed during the last three and half years to control and prevent kidney disease as well as to look into the welfare of the kidney disease patients and their family members.
The President made these remarks participating in a ceremony to offer the pure drinking water to the sacred Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi, today (21). The water was collected from the 500 water purification systems established at a cost of Rs.800 million and those 500 water purification systems were also vested with the public by the President.
Expressing his views the President further said that the number of new cases of kidney disease reported in 2016 was 3372 and that number in 2017 was only 2478 and presently in the year 2018 the number of new cases reported annually decrease to a minimum level of 1500.
President Sirisena said that the Kidney Fund, which he established utilizing the money he received to spend on banners & cutouts at the Presidential Election when he contesting as the Common candidate, at present turned into a strong reputed National Fund. He also said that through this fund, many programmes have been implemented for the welfare of kidney patients and extended his gratitude for the state and private sectors and business community as well as the international community for joining hands with this initiative.
At present, 500 water purification systems have been established with the financial assistance of the Presidential Task Force on Prevention of Chronic Kidney Disease and with the labour support offered by the Sri Lanka Navy to provide pure drinking water to the people in the areas of vulnerable to disease.
The 500th water purification system under this project has been established at the Mihindu Aranya Senasanaya in Mihintale , Kurundankulama, Anuradhapura. The President, using the remote satellite technology, vested that water purification system with the public today.
The President who visited the historic Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi in Anuradhapura first visited the Atamasthanadhipathi Ven. Pallegama Siriniwasa Nayaka Thero, and obtained blessing from him.
Later, the President engaged in the religious observances at the historic Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi. After this the President offered the pure drinking water collected from the 500 water purification systems, to the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi.
Atamasthanadhipathi Ven. Pallegama Siriniwasa Nayaka Thero presented a sapling of the sacred Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi, which is to be sent to Buddhist Temples in Berlin, Germany to the President and later the President handed over the sacred sapling to Ven. Dr. Ittapana Dhammalankara Nayake Thero.
Kurundankulama Mihidu Aranyasenasanadhipathi Ven. Galpatha Sumana Nayaka Thero presented a special memento to the President.
The Maha Sangha including the Anunayaka of the Malwatta chapter Ven. Dimbul Kumbure Sri Wimaladharma Thero, the Anunayaka of the Asgiri chapter Ven. Anamaduwe Dhammadassi thero, Chief Incumbent of the Ruwanweliseya Ven. Pallegama Hemarathana Thera and the President of the Patthana Dharma Sabhawa Korathota Wessabhu Thero, Ministers and MPs including Ministers Duminda Dissanayake, P.Harrison, Chandrani Bandara, the Governor of the North Central Province M.P. Jayasinghe, the former Chief Minister of the North Central Province Peshala Jayarathna, District Secretary, Anuradhapura. R.M. Wanninayake, State officials and others were present at the event.
