Raids to uncover ugly side of beauty parlours

Inspections to check the quality and services of 57,000 beauty parlours and salons are now being conducted countrywide by the National Drugs and Cosmetics Devices Authority (NDCDA), a spokesman of the health ministry said today.

The programme carried out on the instructions of Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena are aimed at ensuring that these beauty parlours and salons are run in accordance to the guidelines and safety measures stipulated by the NDCDA, Health Ministry spokesman W.M.D.Wanninayaka said.

Mr. Wanninayaka said the initiative came in the wake of a large number of complaints received by Minister Sirisena from various parts of the country. Several deaths were also alleged to have occurred due to blood poisoning after beauty therapy sessions at beauty parlours.

“Preliminary inquiries conducted by the NDCDA have revealed that the majority of the beauty centres have not registered with the NDCDA as required by the law and those who worked at these beauty parlours are not professionally qualified to engage in beauty therapy. It was also found that cosmetics and drugs used at these places were not registered in Sri Lanka and many of them were of sub standard quality and unsuitable to Sri Lankan weather conditions,” Mr. Wanninajyaka said. It was also revealed that many beauty parlours were used as a cover to carry out various nefarious activities and the Police have been instructed to keep a watchful eye on these spots and carry out raids as done in the last few weeks, he added.

Minister Sirisena has instructed Director General of Health Services, Dr. Ajith Mendis to take measures to register all beauty parlours with correct criteria, staff, cosmetics and drugs to register afresh and black list all others, Mr. Wanninayaka said. (Sandun A. Jayasekera)