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Virus beats dodgy spice ‘juice’ and ensnares politicians
A local potion promoted by senior politicians, ranking officials, and some media, as a “cure’’ for the deadly new coronavirus, is still in demand among some in Sri Lanka, despite findings that doubt its medicinal use.
Once again, this week, hundreds converged at the residence of Dhammika Bandara, the self-styled holy man in Udukumbura at Nelundeniya in Kegalle to get a bottle free, while Warakapola police struggled to restore order.
In the underground market, the potion, popularly mocked as the “paniya,’’ was selling at Rs 2,500 for a quarter bottle (175 millilitres).
Kegalle District Secretary Mahinda Weerasuriya had made several attempts to stop the distribution of the potion from Bandara’s home, because of the risk of COVID spreading among crowds.
Indigenous Medicine State Minister Sisira Jayakody, this week disclosed the herbal preparation was definitely not a remedy to prevent COVID-19, but could boost immunity.
“The formula committee has studied the Ayurvedha aspects of the potion and sent its report to the Health Ministry two weeks ago for its decision. The Health Ministry should take a final decision and inform the public of the correct position,’’ Mr. Jayakody said.
But, he said, people could not be discouraged or encouraged, from taking the potion.
He said the state cannot take responsibility for any medical complications.
Mr. Jayakody, said he was among those who drank the potion when it was presented to Parliament Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena last month. He said he did not experience side effects.
The experts committee made its observations and sent a report to the Industrial Technology Institute for chemical analysis, earlier.
A committee member, who did not want to be named, said the potion had not been made according to traditional Ayurvedic practices.
“We visited the site where the potion was prepared. We were not shown all the ingredients. It was a mixture of spices and nutmeg and ginger juice,’’ the member said.
He did not produce a formula for the preparation and told it was given to him by the spiritual power of ‘Kali Mani.’
State Minister Piyal Nishantha, drank the potion in public, and is now a COVID infected person.
He was not the only person who drank the syrup.
Kegalle Pradeshiya Sabha member Shirantha Wijeypala was among them. His family has been diagnosed with the disease.
“Dhammika Bandara’s house is just three kilometres from my place. I took the potion on December 8, but one month later I tested positive for COVID-19. My appeal to people is not to keep false hopes in this myth,’’ Mr. Wijeypala told the Sunday Times.
Potion creator Bandara told the Sunday Times that he was still puzzled as to how Mr. Nishantha and the local politician became infected. He claimed that three million have taken it.
“I make this potion with divine help from ‘Kali Mani. My advice to the people who take this is to refrain from eating meat for two days. Even if you eat sausages it has the same effect on the medicine which has been made through spiritual powers. These powers came to me from ‘Kali Mani’ involved in only distributing it,” he said.
Kegalle District Secretary Mahinda Weerasuriya had made several attempts to stop the distribution of the potion from Bandara’s home, because of the risk of COVID spreading among crowds.
Mr. Weerasuriya told the Sunday Times the health authorities had so far not authorised such a distribution.
“The situation is beyond my control. I have told the police about the crowds,’’ he said.
The potion has become a commodity as well. A resident said it was being sold “through various agents”.
In one such instance, the Progressive Workers Union Commercial and Industrial Services of the Airport Aviation Ltd., was marketing what it called ‘Dhammika Bandara’s Hela Osuwa’ (Dammika Peniya).
Union President P. Wijeratne told the Sunday Times arrangements were made to distribute the ‘Dammika Peniya’ following a circular they received and a quarter bottle sells for Rs 2,500.
“We did not force the people to buy it. We have asked persons to register,’’ he said.
A Samagi Jana Balawegaya Kurunegala District lawmaker Ashok Abeysinghe produced in Parliament a circular issued by the Airport Aviation to all heads of divisions and unit managers on the distribution of the ‘Dammika Peniya’ and said state patronage for the distribution was evident.
| Bust up with visiting physicians over secret recording Two doctors have filed police complaints at Peradeniya police against Dhammika Bandara the maker of the ‘Dammika Peniya”, alleging assault and damage to two telephones after they visited him in Kegalle. They had claimed they were among a team of five from the Peradeniya Teaching Hospital who came to get the ‘peniya’ for their staff. They had taken along with them Rs 87,500 cash and purchased 35 bottles (175ml each). One doctor was also suspected to have recorded the conversation with the potion maker, while they chatted about the formula. An assistant had noticed and informed Bandara, who then allegedly assaulted one doctor and smashed his phone. He had forced a doctor to apologise and recorded a video, which was posted on Bandara’s Facebook page. The doctors and three others were released only three hours after the incident. “I was forced to make a statement as we had no other way of escaping,’’ Dr. A. R. Maddumabandara said. The Sunday Times learned that the complaint had been referred to the Kegalle Superintendent of Police Division. A team was sent to Bandara’s house, but they were turned back on the instructions of a senior official. It has now been referred to the Warakapola police, but until Friday, action had not been taken. (Additional reporting by Pradeep Kumara Dharmaratna) | |