Army officer allegedly made death threat to doctors; doctors withdrawn from work; hospital in Mullaithivu paralyzed

Sri Lanka Minister of Health Pavithra Wanniarachchi and Army Commander Major General Shavendra Silva have not still responded to the Government Medical Officers' Association (GMOA) trade union action in Sampathnuwara hospital in Welioya in Mullaithivu district. A spokesman of the GMOA told that the trade union action continued. 

The two medical officers, the doctor in charge of the rental unit and the dental surgeon do not report to work in this rural hospital for about a week now. The people in this remote area are suffering immensely as a result of the trade union action of the GMOA. 

On October 28, Sri Lanka Government Medical Officers' Association (GMOA) complained to the Minister of Health Pavithra Wanniarachchi and Army Commander Shavendra Silva regarding the death threat against the head of Sampathnuwara District Hospital by a senior Army officer. 

According to the letter dated 28 October 2020, sent to the Minister of Health, Brigadier K.K.S. Parakum of Mechanized Infantry Regiment had visited Sampathnuwara District Hospital to discuss converting the hospital into a COVID-19 treatment centre and abused the Head of the Institution and other medical officers using racist and derogatory words. The words include anti-Tamil racist language that called the doctors terrorists. As a trade union action, GMOA has withdrawn the doctors from the service in Sampathnuwara District Hospital.

Sinhala nationalist MP Anupa Pasqual wants village committees set for COVID-19 prevention

Sri Lanka government coalition parliamentarian Anupa Pasqual said that the government must establish committees at village level for COVID-19 prevention. The committee must include public officials like the Grama Seva Niladhari, the midwife aka Family Health Officer, the local government members, local non-allopathic doctors and other relevant village elite.

These village committees can help the villagers to trace contacts, help the patients and associates who are quarantined. 

Kalutara District MP Pasqual, who is active in COVID-19 prevention operations at grassroots level said that the Ayurveda and traditional medicine must be used to build immunity in persons to fight the virus. He pointed out that there is no need to admit each and every patient into hospitals. Most of the patients will fewer complications can stay at home and can be treated with herbal steaming. 

He said he would propose these measures to the local authorities working for COVID-19 prevention in the district. 

Anupa Pasqual and his leader and national list MP Gevindu Kumarathunga represent the Yuthukama organisation, a hardline Sinhala nationalist organisation.  

Basil Rajapaksa has no immediate plan to be sworn in as Minister

Mahinda Pathinrana, promoter of Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's brother Basil Rajapaksa, said in social media that his leader has no plan to be sworn in as a parliamentarian immediately. 

Mahinda Pathirana, an active social media influencer and a university don, is the Chairman of Sri Lanka Press Council. He said that Basil Rajapaksa had no interest in the current political trends and focused on the economy of the country which is monitored by him as the chief of the Presidential Task Force on Economic Revival and Poverty Eradication. 

Recently passed 20th amendment to the constitution re-enabled dual citizens active in politics among other things. Basil Rajapaksa is a dual citizen of the US and Sri Lanka. Many critics say the aim of this particular amendment is bringing Basil Rajapaksa back to a powerful position.   

The story behind the '22nd COVID-19 death' in Sri Lanka

The 22nd COVID-19 death of Sri Lanka was diagnosed after a PCR test conducted posthumously. The 27-year-old man was found hanging from the roof of his house in the early hours of Saturday, October 31. The man was dead when he was admitted to Panadura hospital. The PCR test conducted after his death was found positive later. 

The youth is suspected addicted to drugs. He lived in Wekada village in Panadura. People who gathered in his house after he was found committed suicide are considered associates and PCR tests are to be conducted. 

The deceased showed no specific symptoms of COVID-19, the family says. No COVID-19 positive persons were reported in the village previously. 

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Pregnant nurse infected COVID-19 in National Hospital of Sri Lanka

A pregnant nurse in the National Hospital of Sri Lanka is among the health workers who have been affected by COVID-19 infected while working.  

This nurse has worked in a ward where a patient was diagnosed positive for COVID-19. Authorities decided that her contact with the patient had not necessitated quarantine. However, the nurse stayed at home on her own decision and personal leave. Later, she found that she had symptoms and conducted a PCR test from the field in her residential area. The nurse has been now admitted to Colombo East Base Hospital in Mulleriyawa.

Government Nursing Officers' Association Chairman Saman Rathnapriya said that around 60 health workers including 20 nurses are infected by COVID-19 by now while another 300 are under quarantine. These health workers include doctors, nurses and other categories. 

Hospital sources indicate a lack of facilities such as transport, resting and quarantining for frontline health workers. Saman Rathnapriya requested the government to provide safety for the health staff. He urged the health authorities to take immediate decisions boldly to control the situation. 

He said that the Ministry of Health had not been prepared for a possible outbreak due to lack of vision and leadership.  

Confusion over curfew in Narammala, Giriulla, Pannala and Dummalasuriya police divisions in Kurunegala district

Confusion is reported from some police areas in Kurunegala district due to lack of clarification in the statement of the Army Commander of Sri Lanka Major General Shavendra Silva on quarantine curfew. 

Narammala, Giriulla, Pannala and Dummalasuriya police divisions were under curfew since weeks. 

The Army Commander said in his statement that curfew has been imposed in the entire Western Province,  Eheliyagoda police division in Ratnapura district, Kurunegala Municipal Council area and Kuliyapitiya police division in Kurunegala district.

Police are also confused about the situation while some shops are open in Narammala, Giriulla, Pannala and Dummalasuriya police divisions. 

Meanwhile, unconfirmed sources said that the curfew has been removed from these police divisions but travel restrictions have been informed. 

Presidential Task Force on Prevention of COVID-19 is the sole authority regarding the quarantine curfew and they are expected to clarify the situation.

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.