Australia to help Sri Lanka combat dengue epidemic

**By APD Writer Jamila Husain **

**COLOMBO, July 17 (APD) ** - Australian Foreign Minister, Julie Bishop will visit Sri Lanka this week during which she and Sri Lanka's President Maithripala Sirisena will announce Australian assistance to combat dengue fever in Sri Lanka, a statement said here Monday.

Bishop will visit India and Sri Lanka from July 18 to 20 to strengthen Australian bilateral, economic and security relations with the two countries, who Australia considers important partners in the region.

In Sri Lanka, Bishop will meet President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Ravi Karunanayake and other ministers to discuss security cooperation and explore new economic opportunities in science, resources and energy.

"President Sirisena and I will announce Australian assistance to combat dengue fever in Sri Lanka and discuss progress on the implementation of Sri Lanka's reconciliation process, which is critical to its long-term security and prosperity," Bishop said.

So far over 220 people have been killed and over 80,000 infected in the worst-ever dengue epidemic to hit Sri Lanka in recent years.

Sri Lanka's Health Ministry together with health workers has launched several programmes to clean up the city and its outskirts and fine those maintaining unclean premises.

Hospitals had also been geared with the necessary facilities to treat the patients and hospitals were working on equipping additional beds to treat emergency patients.

Meanwhile in India, the Australian Foreign Minister announced she will meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and join Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj for a bilateral Foreign Ministers Framework Dialogue.

"We will discuss our shared interests in a stable Indo-Pacific, our deepening defence and security relationship, and how we can boost trade and economic ties," she said.

She added India is a significant economic partner and trading partner, and she will explore further opportunities with India for Australia in the education sector and in developing innovative partnerships in the business sector.

"I will also deliver my second Indo-Pacific Oration in New Delhi, outlining how Australia and India can work together to build peace and prosperity, and to maintain a rules-based order in our region."

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)