Dr. Deepal Perera, a paediatrician at the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children, has raised concerns about the country’s declining birth rate, which he says has seen a considerable decline over the past decade.

He emphasized that this trend could have far-reaching consequences for the future of the country. 

“One thing we have seen in observing the past 10 years is the gradual decline in the number of births in the country. In 2013, there were 350,000 births. In 2024, that number has dropped to 228,000. Additionally, a number of these children are being hospitalized due to various diseases, which is a situation we did not witness 20 years ago,” Dr. Perera stated.

The paediatrician also pointed out worrying trends in childhood health conditions, noting a rise in cases of childhood diabetes, cancer, and mental disorders. 

“The number of reports of childhood diabetes has increased. The number of reports of childhood cancer has increased. We are also seeing an increase in mental disorders. If children are getting sick at this rate, the future will not be promising,” he added.

“if we are not careful about this, we could all face a difficult situation.”