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PHIs threaten to “reveal all” if nothing is done to empower them
View(s):Warning that the Public Health Inspectors’ (PHI) Union may be compelled to “reveal all” with regard to certain funds allocated for COVID-19 work and what was happening at the airport and the port under a senior health official, the PHIs urged on Friday that the Health Ministry issue an official document empowering them to carry out their COVID-19 work without hindrance.
The union’s office bearers at the media briefing held on Friday at the CSR hall in Maradana: In the front row (from the left) are PHI M.N.H. Nihal, PHI Upul Rohana (President), PHI Mahendra Balasooriya (Secretary) and PHI Lal Wickramathanthri. Pic by Indika Handuwala
“Next week many other trade unions (about 20) in the health sector will join us in our struggles to gain legal backing for the crucial duties we perform at grass-root level,” PHI Union President Upul Rohana told a media briefing.
Conceding that there may be challenges and delays in amending the Quarantine and Prevention of Diseases Ordinance of 1897 to give the PHIs legal teeth, the union demanded that at least the Director-General of Health Services should issue an official document empowering them to perform their duties.
“Nothing positive has come from numerous discussions we have held,” said Mr. Rohana detailing the COVID-19 related preventive work as contact-tracing, ensuring home-quarantine and more.
He said that on July 16, two reasons compelled the PHIs to stop COVID-19 related work. They were PHIs not being provided authority under the Quarantine and Prevention of Diseases Ordinance and a statement made by the Health Minister that the public will be persecuted by the work of the PHIs, if they get the power. As there was no proper response, the PHIs withdrew from all infectious diseases-related work including dengue.
The Sunday Times learns that since then the PHIs have had numerous discussions with high-level Health Ministry officials but to no avail as they feel that there is a ministry official blocking their role.
Mr. Rohana added that a document prepared by the Health Ministry’s legal department to be sent to the Attorney General’s Department is also very clear that the role played by the inspector has been omitted.
Explaining the circumstances under which the PHIs have been compelled to seek legal backing for the work they do, the PHI Union’s Secretary Mahendra Balasooriya told the Sunday Times that PHIs are attacked and court cases filed against them and they have no leg to stand on.
“We are doing this service as government servants and we are helping to stop the spread of the new coronavirus. This is our duty. Shouldn’t the officers have protection under the law for doing this work,” he asked, stressing that there is no harassment of the public by them and it was a false impression created about the PHIs.
Mr. Balasooriya cited the Health Services Act which empowers PHIs to carry out their duties as well as the Quarantine and Prevention of Diseases Ordinance which delegates authority to the ‘Inspector’.
The definition of ‘Inspector’ for the purposes of the Quarantine and Prevention of Diseases Ordinance or any regulations made there under shall be deemed to include ‘Sanitary Assistants’ of the Department of Medical and Sanitary Services and any ‘inspector or sub-inspector’ of the Health Department in any Municipality, District Council or Local Board or any ‘inspector’ appointed by the Director or Deputy Director, Quarantine Department.
“What we are asking is for the Health Ministry to recognize PHIs as ‘Inspectors’ as we have evolved from being Sanitary Assistants to Sanitary Inspectors (in 1913) and to PHIs (in July 1954). However, in the gazette issued with regard to health measures during the election there is no supervising officer (inspector),” he said, asking how the gazette will be implemented.