HOUSE ADJOURNED AFTER QUESTIONS ON DENGUE CRISIS

Parliament was adjourned for a few minutes yesterday because of a tense situation that prevailed when joint opposition MP Dinesh Gunawardane raised a question on the dengue menace.

He pointed out that more than 200 dengue patients had died while more than 65,000 have been hospitalised

The MP told parliament that most of the hospitals were filled to capacity with dengue patients and some of the hospitals had even stopped admitting patients.

He said the government should inform Parliament about the steps being taken to protect the lives of the people from the fast spreading dengue epidemic.

JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said the health minister should make a statement in parliament on this matter and that the IDH, Ragama and Sri Jayawardanepura Hospitals had stopped admitting patients because of overcrowding.

Minister Daya Gamage said the President and the Prime Minister were talking to all relevant officials and asked the opposition not to take political advantage from this situation.

Mr. Dissanayake said it was not a political matter but one of national concern and that was why he had highlighted it.

He said it was too late to hold discussions and that there should be an action plan to control the epidemic.

The situation turned chaotic with opposition members raising their voices in protest leading to the adjournment of parliament.

Parliament resumed a while later after a meeting with party leaders where it was decided that the health minister would make a statement in parliament on the dengue crisis.