1 mln Sri Lankans admitted to hospitals each year due to accidents: minister

COLOMBO, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- About a million Sri Lankans are admitted to hospitals each year due to accidents, Minister of Health Ramesh Pathirana told parliament on Thursday.

He added that around 30 Sri Lankans die daily due to accidents, and 12,000 die annually due to road and domestic accidents.

Pathirana said non-communicable diseases are another major health challenge Sri Lanka will have to face in the future.

About 30 percent of people under 35 are suffering from high blood pressure, while 15 percent of the same age group is suffering from diabetes, he said.

Up to 10 percent of Sri Lankan children are suffering from obesity, the minister said.