Columns

• Army and health authorities give different views on upsurge; minister overturns lockdown ruling of Kesbewa’s MOH
• Desperate efforts to get more vaccines; President speaks to WHO chief, Senior advisor seeks help from US
• As figures keep on rising, military personnel build temporary hospitals, but concern over lack of medical staff and facilities

 

The garment’s factory converted into the largest hospital with 1200 beds by the Army - Army Photo

Early last year, when COVID-19 hit Sri Lanka for the first time causing a shiver among the people, intelligence sleuths used their skills for contact tracing.

The suspect victim was successfully located. Busloads of those who brushed shoulders were also rounded up for quarantine. Public confidence rose as figures of those connected with the pandemic fell low. That aura of safe living, however, was shattered when cases broke out at Brandix Apparel in Minuwangoda. The source of origin became a hotly contested debate.

The disease spread though strangely the name from where it originated disappeared. Officials called the newborn outbreak Minuwangoda cluster. Some said it was a remarkable public relations manoeuvre painfully executed at cost. Brandix owner Ashraff Omar did amends for it by turning over his Brandix Green garments factory at Seeduwa to the Army to be converted into a hospital with 1,200 beds. Then came the outbreak at the Peliyagoda wholesale fish market. Officially it was first the “Peliyagoda fish market cluster” that later morphed into “Peliyagoda cluster.” Even if COVID-19 or coronavirus remains the same, it has not only changed lives but also helped officials change nomenclatures at will.

Now, the so-called New Year cluster patients, as they call those who were affected by the UK’s fierce variant (B. 1.1.7) have put paid not only to early counter measures but are also sapping government’s meagre resources. The UK variant was identified in London as well as in Southeast and East of England in December 2020.  Since its emergence, the UK variant has undergone several mutations that have said to have altered its infectivity and transmissibility in the community. Adding to fears now, according to Dr Chandima Jeewandara, is an Indian returnee testing positive to the Indian variant, (B1.617) for the first time in Sri Lanka. How serious these new variants, known to float in air, is illustrated by what happened to 40-year-old Pramoda Mahendra, a fruit seller from Mahendora in Piliyandala. He came home one night this week, had his dinner, and slept. Later at night, he woke up and wanted water. He drank it and slept only to be found dead due to COVID-19. True the surge came after the national New Year and some ignored the health guidelines. On the other hand, there was no mechanism to ensure they were followed. Now, at least one enforcement agency has gone to the other extreme.

This week saw the Dam Street Police in Colombo acting in the most crude way when they rounded up those not wearing masks. Also rounded up were those who wore it below their noses or mouths. Four Police officers in protective gear physically carried them to a parked bus. Shops in areas near those locked down were asked to shut down. Shop owners in Dharga Town, a Muslim village, not under a lockdown, were ordered to close. An association representing the traders pleaded that they had brought their goods with post dated cheques for sale during the Ramadan festival next week. They won a temporary reprieve. In a quarantine camp in Punani, 264 miles from Colombo, near eastern capital of Batticaloa, inmates have no water, not even to take their medication. This facility comes under the Polonnaruwa Base Hospital and there are two phone numbers pasted on the walls for inmates to call in an emergency but the phones do not work.

That these instances and many others are tough and unprecedented challenges for the authorities is no secret. There has been an exponential increase in the number of cases spread over 11 days. If the number of confirmed cases stood at 997 on April 26, it gradually rose as follows: April 27 – 1,111 cases, April 28th – 1461, April 29 – 1531, April 30 – 1662, May 1 – 1716 cases, May 2 – 1891 cases, May 3 – 1923, and May 4 – 1914 cases. These figures included a considerable number of those affected but were compelled to remain in their homes due to non-availability of hospital accommodation. There were deaths in homes too although the exact number is not known. Yet others remain on floors of some hospitals because of a shortage of beds.

It is pertinent to note that all details connected with COVID-19 pandemic are handled by the Army. They include the number afflicted, the number dead, the number undergoing quarantine and even foreign arrivals. Those and other data form the contents of a daily report to Army Commander General Shavendra Silva, who heads the National Operations Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 outbreak. He, in turn, transmits the figures to the Government Information Department which releases it to the media. It is thus a numbers game on one hand.

On the other, there are a plethora of others making statements on their own. They include Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi, State Ministers Professor Channa Jayasumana and Sudarshani Fernandopulle. They are backed by Health Ministry officials dealing with the ongoing malaise.

This is not to blame any single one but quite clearly, in the public mind, there has been more than considerable confusion. The reason – all their assertions, even under the most difficult circumstances, have been loaded on the positive side. One may ask why not when all the related information is being disseminated by the government and its official arms. Well, the answer – it has exacerbated a credibility crisis for the government. The question is how many people believe in the assertions both in Sri Lanka and abroad. One may liken Sri Lanka, perhaps to a lesser degree, to neighbouring India where there are some similarities of sorts. So much so, their diplomatic missions worldwide are under pressure from Foreign Minister, Subramaniam Jaishanker, to counter what he calls the malicious propaganda.

Even if this is rather unusual, India’s conduct of foreign relations has been unquestionably professional. This is the reason why 45 different countries hurried to India’s assistance after the unprecedented explosion of COVID-19 cases. That it reached uncontrollable levels is now common knowledge. The United States rushed plane loads of much needed oxygen cylinders in its huge transport aircraft. What of Sri Lanka? Just recently, Lalith Weeratunga, Senior Advisor to the President, wrote to Sri Lanka’s Ambassador in the United States. The letter enclosed a clipping from The New York Times where US President Joe Biden had declared he would help needy countries with vaccines. There has been a favourable response. Washington has asked Colombo to have its main agency dealing with the crisis to contact its US counterparts. Both Australia and the UK, however, have declined in view of their own compulsions.

“The government has made requests to many friendly countries for vaccines,” Professor Channa Jayasumana told the Sunday Times. He said they are waiting for a hopeful response. He said that 925,000 people have been vaccinated so far with AstraZeneca. The second dose was now being administered with 350,000 doses available. “We will need a further 600,000 to complete the second round,” he said. On Friday, the World Health Organisation (WHO) approved China’s Sinopharm vaccine. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa tweeted: WHO today listed the Sinopharm #COVID19 vaccine for emergency use in all countries, a prerequisite for a potential #COVAX roll-out. Interim policy recommendations were also issued for the vaccine usage.

He had earlier tweeted that “Had a useful zoom discussion with @DrTedros. I believe he will make effort to fulfil #lka need for 600,000 doses of #AstraZeneca for the 2nd dose of vaccination. Globally, there is a need for 20 million doses of the #AstraZeneca for the 2nd dose.

Earlier, regrettably, the administering of vaccines was carried out without a proper plan. This led to many in the greater Colombo area not receiving their vaccines whilst some who had political connections succeeded in getting them early.

As revealed in these columns last week, government leaders have rejected calls for a countrywide lockdown. This is on the grounds that such a move would further hurt the economy. Therefore, more than 100 areas in different districts were brought under a lockdown. Some have since been lifted whilst others are being added. Rejecting opposition calls for even a partial lockdown, Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi said that would not be done. She said that the lockdowns would be partial in the light of the importance of the economy. There was some embarrassment to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa by a ruling party minister who used his position to change a lockdown area. He claimed he would do so again if it became necessary.

In the conduct of diplomacy with any country, a lesson which the present-day disposition has not learnt, is the need for a friendly dialogue where agreeing to disagree should have been the hallmark. It was not to be. One is reminded of the remarks of Foreign Secretary, Professor Jayanath Colombage, urging President Biden to mind his own business and put his country’s human rights record right.

It came after US Ambassador Allaina B. Teplitz held a media round table and made a string of remarks which were viewed by him critically. This was ahead of the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council sessions on March 23 where a resolution on Sri Lanka was adopted. Now, an appeal is being made to the US for vaccines. Ambassador Teplitz also met Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) architect Basil Rajapaksa at separate meetings this week. A diplomatic source said they discussed topics including attracting foreign investment, implementing some of the past commission recommendations, and how USAID assistance has, contributed to the health and prosperity of Sri Lanka.

Significantly, the talks came as Parliament awaited the ruling of the Supreme Court on the constitutionality or otherwise of the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Bill 2021. Hoping that the ruling will arrive this week, Parliament was set to debate the Bill for two days this week. Instead, Parliament chose a one-day debate on the spread of COVID-19. The report arrived at the Speaker’s residence on the night of May 6 – the last day deadline for the SC. The delay caused concerns in sections of the government over the ruling and whether it would be unanimous. The debate will now take place on May 18 and 19 with Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena announcing the ruling on the first day.

It also came in the backdrop of President Rajapaksa calling off a planned visit to China on May 8. This was on the invitation extended to him by China’s President Xi Jinping when he telephoned him. A separate visit was also to be undertaken by acting Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Army, General Shavendra Silva to Beijing. It is the outcome of a two-day visit to Colombo by China’s National Defence Minister We Fenghe.

A special envoy from the UK is expected in Sri Lanka in the coming days. It was the UK that spearheaded the resolution at the Human Rights Council. Sri Lanka is among countries seeking a postponement of the 26th Commonwealth Heads of Government biennial meeting. This time, it is expected to be held in Rwanda. The envoy, Foreign Ministry source said, would also discuss other bilateral issues.

Last Sunday, the entire Piliyandala Police area comprising 52 Grama Sevaka divisions was declared as an isolated area following a recommendation made by the Kesbewa Medical Officer of Health Dr Samanthika Wijesundara. She was legally empowered to do so as she feared the deadly virus would spread. In three consecutive days as many as 147 COVID-19 positive cases were detected from this area. This necessitated placing hundreds of others including residents under quarantine at their homes. Since Sunday, 219 cases had been detected up to Wednesday.

The isolation of the entire Piliyandala police area was announced on Sunday around 6 am by the Army Commander. He said it would come into effect immediately. Some local politicians and traders were angered by the move. They made representations to Transport Minister Gamini Lokuge, who comes from the Kesbewa area. The next thing that happened – the Police were no longer enforcing the lockdown. Shops remained open. Crowds were seen moving around and transport services operated. This was in marked contrast to other areas which were under lockdown.

However, by Sunday night a different announcement was made. It said that the isolation in the Piliyandala Police area would be effective except for 10 Grama Sevaka divisions. The lockdown was being lifted in those areas from Monday at 5 a.m.

It came to light that Minister Lokuge had presided over a meeting with the Police and selected officials on Sunday at the Kesbewa Divisional Secretary’s office. However, Kesbawa’s Medical Officer of Health in Charge Dr Samanthika Wijesundara on Monday said she had not recommended relaxing the lockdown on the Piliyandala Police area which includes Kesbewa. “There are hundreds of COVID-19 patients in the area and the restriction on the movement of people in the area is essential,” she told the media.

Minister Lokuge claimed he had consulted the “relevant’ officials and called for the lifting of the lockdown in some of the areas. “Our intelligence and other sources say there was no necessity of lockdown all the areas. Therefore, we made a request to lift the restrictions,” he said. However Minister Lokuge conceded that some of his own office staff had contracted COVID-19, but he was not on quarantine.  “I have taken one dose of the vaccine and also carried out a PCR test,” Lokuge said when questioned as to how he was moving in the open after some of his staff members were down with COVID-19.

On Monday night, the Director General of Health Services, Dr Asela Gunawardena, was on a talk show on a TV channel.  He was questioned whether he had been consulted in the decision to relax the lockdown in less than 24 hours after being enforced. Dr Gunawardena said he had not been consulted and said he would investigate.

Accordingly, a four-member Technical Committee headed by Dr S.M. Arnold, Deputy Director General of Health Services of the Ministry of Health, was named to probe the matter. They visited the MOH offices in Piliyandala and Kesbewa. The sudden decision to lift the lockdown was raised in several forums as well as in Parliament during a two-day debate on the COVID-19 situation. JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that health related decisions should be taken by relevant officials and politicians should not get involved in it.

Minister Lokuge’s conduct prompted Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa to publicly remark that every one, irrespective of their positions, should respect health guidelines.

The Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) was among those who were critical of the intervention of Minister Lokuge. GMOA Assistant Secretary Dr Naveen De Zoysa speaking at a media briefing on Thursday (6) declared: “We saw in Piliyandala how a certain politician overruled a decision taken by the area Medical Officer of Health (MOH). This is shameless conduct and we ought to be ashamed of this as a country. We have expressed our strong protest over this incident. We believe the Director General of Health Services, who is the authority appointed under the Quarantine Ordinance, should take action against this individual.”

These lockdowns are essentially a life saving measures and it is ironic that a Minister is overturning them. Imagine a situation if all ministers choose to do the same thing to show their ‘power and authority’? The efforts of Army Commander, General Shavendra Silva, and health officials would be in vain. People are being carried and loaded into buses for not wearing their facemasks properly. Minister Lokuge has changed quarantine regulations and there appears to be a cloak of silence over the issue.

The critical situation in hospitals due to lack of beds came up for discussion when the government parliamentary group met last Tuesday. The meeting was chaired by Prime Minister, Mahinda Rajapaksa. Lalith Ellawala, was to raise issue over what he called the lack of co-ordination between the military and the health authorities.  He said, “when we ring the Health Ministry, we are asked to get in touch with the military.” He said, he was receiving complaints from his constituents whose relatives or next of kin could not find beds in hospitals though they were suspected COVID-19 cases. Senior Presidential Advisor Lalith Weeratunga was present at the meeting to answer questions. He said he was confident that the vaccines would arrive in Sri Lanka by September or October this year. He said all could be vaccinated.

Some MPs questioned why the private sector was not being allowed to import vaccines and administer them to people. The answer came from Weeratunga who said that the manufacturers were not allowing the private sector to import since there was excessive demand from governments. He said stocks could be obtained by them only after the demands of the governments are met.

As the meeting ended, the talking point among some MPs was about the lack of visibility of Premier Rajapaksa in the campaign against COVID-19. The question arose after one of them pointed out that they could reach out to him with their issues. Another referred to the non-visibility of Basil Rajapaksa, Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Economic Recovery. However, the discussion did not extend and was cut short when most other MPs joined in.

That all is not smooth in the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Nidahas Sandanaya (SLPNS) alliance was demonstrated once again last Tuesday. President Rajapaksa was to chair a meeting of partner party leaders of the ruling alliance. However, a section did not attend. That included Minister Wimal Weerawansa (National Freedom Front) and Udaya Gammanpila (Pivithuru Hela Urumaya). Their complaint was that persons who are not leaders of political parties in the alliance were present at the meeting. Thus, the internecine feud within the alliance continues. On a previous occasion too, these members kept away, raising questions in political circles over their motive. Influential sections within the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), however, believe that it was more “political posturing” and that the prospects of their quitting the alliance were remote. Nevertheless, it does signal that all is not well within the alliance.

That is at a time when the alliance, now reeling under the resurgence of a dangerous strain of COVID-19, is facing an impending economic crisis of worrying proportions. The Army has been able to turn in more accommodation for the rising number of patients but that alone will not help. There would be a need for doctors, nurses, and equipment. This is a critical moment for Sri Lanka.