Rajitha Senaratne

Dr Rajitha Senaratne is a champion in the fight against NCDs. Soon after assuming duties he took the baton from his predecessor in the fight against tobacco and enforced 80% pictorial warning on tobacco packets, soon to be followed by an upward revision of tax on tobacco to 90% and plain packaging. Setting up of the National Medicine Regulatory Authority was another move he took towards reducing drug prices and minimising wastage and shortages. Dr Rajitha was successful in raising funds for the rehabilitation of hospitals and primary health care units island wide and has also initiated a programme to provide free cataract lenses and costly cancer drugs to all, soon to be followed by even coronary stents. In his latest move against NCDs Dr Rajitha introduced a Traffic Light System for the sugar content in drinks, soon to be followed for salt and fats as well. He has also introduced a patient welfare programme to provide inter-occular lenses and coronary stents gratis to deserving patients and has also introduced measures to reduce the price of 48 most commonly used drugs directly linked to NCDs and other common ailments by almost 50% or more.