The Government last week continued its campaign against the COVID-19 pandemic which appeared to have finally taken a turn for the better after many months of the ‘fourth wave’ of Delta virus infections, even as it was left battling other political issues on the domestic and international fronts.
The death toll from the pandemic has now surpassed 12,200. However, 93 deaths were recorded on Monday and 66 deaths on Tuesday. This is a sharp decline from the daily average of 150-200 deaths that were reported a few days ago. Experts say this could be the beginning of a downward trend.
Prior to that, the Government decided to extend the current lockdown until October 1. This followed a meeting of the COVID-19 Task Force chaired by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Essential services will be permitted to operate during the lockdown, Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said.
The lockdown was necessary because over 2,000 infections were being reported daily, health officials say. This is more than what the already overburdened health system can handle and the number of daily infections has to decline to a more manageable figure for restrictions to ease, they said.
These trends emerged as the Government pushed ahead with its immunisation campaign which is seen both in Sri Lanka and in many other countries around the world as the most effective health strategy against the pandemic. Most nations have abandoned plans to reduce case numbers by lockdowns alone.
This week the Government announced the extension of a deadline for persons over the age of 30 years to get vaccinated. They would need to complete their vaccination before the end of this week, (for practical purposes Sept. 30), State Minister of Production, Supply and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals Channa Jayasumana said.
“A vast number of people above 30 years of age have received their vaccines, but still there are some who have foregone their vaccines due to various reasons. We cannot keep the vaccination centres open for them every day. They are expected to obtain their vaccines by this week,” Jayasumana said.
Vaccination for children
This was while the Government was planning vaccination for schoolchildren as its next move in combating the pandemic. Vaccination for children above 12 years of age who suffer from chronic diseases will commence at the Lady Ridgeway Children’s Hospital, Minister Prof. Jayasumana told Parliament.
The Minister said vaccination of this category would commence on Monday in the Western Province while it would be extended nationwide from October 4. Only the Pfizer vaccine would be used in vaccinating this vulnerable category of the population, the Minister assured Parliament this week.
Despite the overall success of the Government’s vaccination campaign against the pandemic, health experts have been disappointed by the vaccine uptake in the younger age groups, particularly among young adults in the 20-29 year age group. This is despite daily deaths being reported in this group.
Health experts say that only an estimated 40 per cent of the 20 to 29 year age group had received the vaccines so far. This is due to misinformation being propagated about the vaccine about false fears of sterility and long-term side effects that are being spread through social media, these experts say.
“Young adults are also demanding the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines and are refusing the Sinopharm vaccine,” they noted. “Western countries have also created a perception that the WHO-approved Sinopharm vaccine is not effective when it is known that it is very effective against the virus,” these experts observed.
The Government was also contemplating a ‘booster’ (third) dose of the vaccine for those who have received two doses of the vaccine. Some countries such as Israel have already begun administering booster doses for their citizens as immunity from two doses of the vaccine is known to decline after some months. The WHO has however frowned upon this practice, saying such doses should be sent to African countries where vaccination rates are really low.
However, the booster shot administration will commence only after the rollout of the second dose of the vaccine has been completed. “It will be confusing to administer the booster dose while the second dose rollout is still underway,” Chairman of the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation Dr. Prasanna Gunasena said.
“The Advisory Committee on Communicable Diseases recommended in May to procure booster doses to be given after six months of the initial doses. A stock of 14 million doses of Pfizer vaccines have been purchased to be used as a booster dose for people above 60 years,” Dr. Gunasena said.
Ratwatte’s resignation
While the Government’s ministers and officials in the Health sector were busy battling the COVID-19 pandemic, it was also dealing with the political fallout from an alleged incident involving State Minister Lohan Ratwatte that led to him resign from some of the subjects under his purview.
Reports emerged in the media that Ratwatte had allegedly visited the Welikada and Anuradhapura prisons recently at night. It was alleged that during a visit to the Anuradhapura prison with a group of friends he had verbally threatened two random prisoners at gunpoint. Ratwatte has strongly denied the allegations made against him.
Following this, Ratwatte has resigned from his position as State Minister of Prisons Management and Prisoners’ Rehabilitation in order to facilitate the investigation. In a letter of resignation sent to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa which was released to the media Ratwatte states he resigned to avoid placing the government in a difficult position.
A subsequent media release from the Presidential Media Division stated that Ratwatte had resigned from his position after ‘accepting responsibility’ for the events that occurred in the two prisons. Ratwatte will continue to function as the State Minister for Gem and Jewellery Related Industries for the moment.
After these events, the Committee for Protecting the Rights of Prisoners lodged a complaint with the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) against Ratwatte over allegedly threatening prisoners at the Anuradhapura Prison. This is being investigated, Public Security Minister Rear Admiral (Rtd) Dr. Sarath Weerasekara said.
There have been calls from the Opposition for Ratwatte to stand down from his other ministerial responsibilities as well. Sections of Ratwatte’s own party, the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) have also questioned the wisdom of Ratwatte continuing in another ministerial role, pending an inquiry.
Ratwatte has broken his silence on the issue and has told the media that he only visited the two prisons to perform his duties as a minister which he was entitled to do. He has cited the progress in the prison system he has achieved in recent months and strenuously denied ever threatening any prisoners.
While the Police investigation into the alleged incident will most likely proceed without hindrance, the political controversy is likely to be resolved only after the return to Sri Lanka of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa from New York, where he is currently attending the 76th United Nations General Assembly.
While in New York President Rajapaksa has sounded a conciliatory note, offering to engage in a dialogue with the Tamil Diaspora in a bid to resolve issues affecting the Tamil community in the country. This approach has been welcomed by the Global Tamil Forum (GTF).
The President also met with Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Hamad Al-Sabah and held discussions with him on potential investment opportunities in Sri Lanka including the Colombo Port City, in solar and wind energy and in the oil refining sector, the Presidential Media Division said.
President Rajapaksa also made a request for more employment opportunities for skilled workers. Foreign Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris, Principal Advisor to the President Lalith Weeratunga and Foreign Secretary Admiral Prof. Jayanath Colombage were present at the talks, reports said.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa who visited Bologna in Italy to address the G20 Inter Faith Forum has already returned to the country. The Prime Minister’s office had previously dismissed speculation that his visit to Italy included a meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican. In any case, Pope Francis was overseas during this period.
There were other political developments in the ruling SLPP’s Parliamentary group this week. Jayantha Ketagoda was sworn in again as a National List Parliamentarian for the party. He fills the vacancy created by the resignation of former State Minister Ajith Nivard Cabraal recently. Cabraal was then appointed Central Bank Governor.
Ketagoda was nominated by the SLPP as a National List Parliamentarian following the August 2020 General Election. However, he resigned recently to make way for Basil Rajapaksa to enter Parliament on the National List. This enabled Rajapaksa to assume duties as Finance Minister.
Diplomatic career for Samarasinghe
Another Parliamentary resignation is expected from the SLPP, political sources say. Kalutara District Parliamentarian Mahinda Samarasinghe is likely to resign to take up duties as Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the United States. This post fell vacant with the retirement of Foreign Service veteran Ravinatha Aryasinha last week.
The appointment of Mahinda Samarasinghe, a former career diplomat, as Sri Lanka’s envoy to the United States is an astute move. Samarasinghe is known for his diplomatic skills and has in the past led Sri Lankan delegations to sessions of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva and achieved positive outcomes.
The Government continues to concentrate its efforts on containing the COVID-19 pandemic which, after more than one and a half years, is slowly showing signs of waning. If this does occur, it will be due to the tireless efforts of the authorities, experts in the health sector and thousands of health professionals.
The containment of the pandemic would enable the Government to focus its efforts on development activities which have stagnated for many months. The first step in that process would be the lifting of the lockdown which will be eagerly awaited by millions of Sri Lankans in the first week of October.
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