Investigation on the suicide of mentally handicapped son of COVID-19 mother; PHIs allege no guidelines

Deputy Director-General (Public Health) of Sri Lanka Ministry of Health specialist doctor Samantha Herath said that admitting a COVID-19 affected woman into the hospital without taking necessary precautions regarding her mentally handicapped son was against Quarantine and Prevention of Diseases Ordinance. 

The 36-year-old son committed suicide after the COVID-19 mother was taken into hospital and he was left alone in the house. The Deputy Director-General (Public Health) stated that the incident would be investigated and necessary actions would be taken to prevent recurrence of such mishaps. 

Meanwhile, the Union of the Public Health Inspectors said that they had not been provided with guidelines regarding the care of the children, elderly people and other dependents of the COVID-19 patients who are admitted into the hospital.  

Chairman of the union Upul Rohana said that the relevant PHI had to admit seven other persons in the area after the relevant woman and he had had no time to look into the needs of this mentally handicapped person. 

The mother of the deceased was admitted into hospital after the neighbours informed she had symptoms of COVID-19 after visiting Peliyagoda fish market. 

However, the PHI of the area H.N.P. Caldera said that he had called to a sibling of the deceased asking him to come and look after the brother. However, the family member lived in the Southern Province while his mother and sibling lived in Kiriwattuduwa in the Western Province. The government imposed curfew since midnight Thursday in Western Province and entry into the province was banned. 

The deceased was identified as Tharinda Amila Vitharana of Haritha Uyana, Koswatta, Kiriwattuduwa. He is believed committed suicide on 30th October 2020.