Sri Lanka Prime Minister off to US for medical treatment: Minister

May 30, 2017 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has left the country for medical treatment in the United States, Health Minister Rajitha Senarathne revealed.







Minister Senarathne, speaking at a press conference held Tuesday at the Disaster Management Center, said that Prime Minister Wickremesinghe had postponed this medical examination over the past 18 months. “Actually, the PM went for medical examinations which he had been postponing for the past 18 months,” Senarathne said.





“But he is continuously in touch with the disaster situation. There is a briefing every six hours and he gives necessary instructions.





” Senarathne said there was a high powered meeting at Temple Trees on Monday with relevant officials about the current disaster situation. He said a new disaster relief loan scheme which will be introduced soon for small and medium scale enterprises was approved yesterday based on the instructions of the Prime Minister.





The scheme will provide relief of up to two billion rupees, Senarathne said without giving details.

Senarathne further said Disaster Management Minister who was attending an international disaster management meeting in Mexico for the past few days is expected today.

Meanwhile, the President has ordered the halt of all vehicle purchases for the government during this year.