SAARC Regional Training of Trainers (ToT) on Diagnosis, Treatment and Programmatic Management of Pediatric TB held on 17-21 April 2019, Sri Lanka.
A “SAARC Training of Trainers on Diagnosis, Treatment and Programmatic Management of Pediatrics TB” was organized jointly by SAARC TB and HIV/AIDS Centre (STAC) and National Programme of Tuberculosis Control and Chest Diseases (NPTCCD), Ministry of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine, Government of Sri Lanka in Colombo from 17th to 21st April 2019.
Opening Ceremony started with the traditional blowing of Conch. Dr. Lakhmi Somathunga, Additional Secretary, Public Health Service (PHS), Ministry of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine, Government of Sri-Lanka inaugurated the Training Programme by lighting beautifully decorated lamps on the different symbolic bowl-ponds representing the seventh SAARC Member States. All dignitaries from dais joined in the inauguration to light-up the lamp.
The opening session was started by National Anthem of Sri-lanka. Dr. M. A. C. M. Refai, Director, NPTCCD delivered welcome address and welcomed all participants, resource persons, guests, dignitaries and officials in the programme. He expressed his happiness to be the focal person for hosting such important training. He also thanked the Government of Member States for their great support by sending high level participants to make the programme a grand success.
Dr. Rajendra Prasad Pant, Director, STAC delivered his remarks and expressed his gratitude and happiness for the presence of high-level dignitaries from Government of Sri Lanka which reflects that there is strong commitments for prevention & control of TB & HIV/AIDS in the SAARC Region. He also expressed his gratitude to all SAARC Member States for their Ending TB targets and ending TB by 2025 taken by the Government of Sri-Lanka its really tough task. He highlighted the challenges to be faced in management of childhood TB and role to be played by STAC to support the Member States. He thanked officials of NPTCCD, Sri-lanka for working hard since last one month for making the programme successful.
Dr. Ajanthan Rajarathnam, President Sri-lanka College of pediatrics, Government of Sri- Lanka also delivered his remarks in the inaugural ceremony of the prograrmme. He mentioned that Srilanka is one of the low TB prevalence country among the SAARC Member States and informed that Sri-lanka has improved early suspension and diagnosis of pediatric TB.
Dr. Aflah Sadeek, Consultant Respiratory Physician Secretary, Sri-lankan College of Pulmonologist delivered his remarks. He thanked to the organizing committee for conducting such useful training in Sri-lanka.
Dr. Lakhmi Somathunga, Additional Secretary Public Health Service (PHS) delivered her remarks to the audience. She highlighted that out of 44% of Global cases, quarter of the cases are in the Region and among them Sri-lanka has low prevalence rate. She emphasized that only collective efforts and coordination could get its achievement for ending TB target, as Government of Sri-lanka has declared its ending TB targets by 2025.
Dr. Rajendra Prasad Pant, Director handed over the soveniour on behalf of STAC to the delegates on the Dias.
Dr. Sumudu Avanthi thanked the delegates and participants of the programme and the session closed with the Group photo.
 on Diagnosis, Treatment and Programmatic Management of Pediatric TB held on 17-21 April 2019, Sri Lanka.){kind=link}