New COVID-19 wave: People and media made scapegoats
President Rajapaksa blames officials for not taking the proper message to the public and acting effectively PM presents Budget on Tuesday, with main concern being the economic effects of the lockdowns and curfews 19 ruling party MPs want Basil to enter
Concerns are growing among Sri Lankans as the Government fights an uncontrollable spread of the dangerously contagious Covid-19 pandemic. As a ten-day curfew and lockdown ended, the swathe of damage caused by the spread has reached newer proportions. Deaths are on the rise. More and more are falling victims. Business activity has been crippled. The upmarket complexes, like for example the Majestic City, carry the tell-tale signs. Shop after shop have put up notices on their glass walls that the premises were to let. The rent seems to be more than what they earned as lockdowns and curfews take a toll.
The city’s leading hotels have few or no customers. In one, two positive Covid-19 cases were discovered. In another, there was one. These top hotels have resorted to the next best thing to stay afloat -- offer a home delivery service to credit card holders. Some of the smaller ones including restaurants have folded up. Banks are open but customers are few. Traffic on the roads is much less. Despite a raise in fares, buses operated with fewer passengers. So did the trains. Some areas came under rapid lockdowns after the discovery of a spurt of cases.
The mounting increase took up space in hospitals where confirmed Covid-19 cases are moved into. So, it did with those who are undergoing quarantine in hotels and other institutions. It prompted the Government to ask people suspected of having Covid-19 to quarantine in their homes. In a new move, Public Health Inspectors placed notices on their gates or walls saying that the premises were under quarantine -- a warning to others not to go in. Some residents complained that it caused a social stigma for them in the neighbourhood.
As the curfew ended, new challenges awaited President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who has won plaudits both internationally and locally for keeping the spread of Covid-19 low during the 52-day campaign beginning March. Even the World Health Organisation (WHO) heaped praise on him besides leaders of local opposition parties.
This week, the Government took a step further - went hi-tech using drones in its fight against Covid-19. A drone squadron has been established under the Amy’s artillery regiment. The Police spokesperson said it would be used to locate curfew violators in areas under a lockdown. Perhaps unconsciously, he let his own side down with those remarks. All it takes is a handful of Police officers, either in uniform or civvies, to round up such violators. To be fair, such violators are far too few. Most of them take to the streets for an urgent requirement like going to a doctor or pharmacy. The fear of Covid-19 has now been driven into them. This is not to say there are no violators. Other hi-tech measures are already in use, like for example, contact tracing through mobile phones.
However, there is no gainsaying that the priority focus should be a concerted strategy to prevent the spread of the deadly disease. It is public knowledge that the Covid-19 explosion at the Brandix garments factory snowballed to the Peliyagoda fish market and spread like wildfire. Over a period of time, it has surged not only in the Western Province but also to different parts of the country. So much so, the official accounts of those affected no longer refer to the source of origin, from where the deadly disease has been contacted. It has been blacked out. This, rather unfortunately, has widened the credibility gap between the administration and the public. There is a serious trust deficit.
In the United States, where the number of Covid-19 cases has exceeded ten million, how a change occurred in New York state, first hit by the pandemic, is of interest. In the world’s most important commercial centre, its Governor Andrew Cuomo appeared on local and internationally televised news conferences daily. He was frank, transparent, and answered all questions posed to him. Not only New Yorkers, but people the world over were educated. The figures of those affected came down. This was a shining example of how the media and the administrators collaborated and produced results.
In Sri Lanka, however, the media relied mostly on SMS messages for figures of those confirmed with Covid-19 and the number quarantined. Unlike even a flag hoisting ceremony for which there were news conferences, there was no regular ones for Covid-19. This is besides a string of news releases, some of which raised questions than providing answers. The social media took over. While a few were accurate in their reporting, most were not. That certainly did not help the government. To the contrary, it did greater damage on a serious national crisis like the Covid-19 pandemic. They widened the credibility gap further. A daily televised news briefing, without varnishing the truth, would have immensely helped the government.
As for the national media themselves, electronic and print, they have scrupulously followed the official line in reporting day to day on Covid-19. So much so, even the phrases they coined, like for example “quarantine curfew,” were carried without question. A curfew, as is well known, is a regulation requiring people to remain indoors between specified hours. Thus, whether it is quarantine or not is simply irrelevant. A curfew would logically confine people indoors.
Soon after the ten-day lockdown and curfew in the Western Province ended last Monday, the President’s Media Division distributed a recording containing a televised statement from President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. “Some people did not follow health advisories, did not follow instructions. We are facing such a situation because everyone abandoned their responsibilities. We are unable to control covid-19 if everyone does not act in a responsible manner,” said President Rajapaksa. He said, “Those who come before the media should tell people what they should do to control the spread of the pandemic” – a truly clear message even to his own task force members handling all the responsibility from fighting Covid-19 to handling the media. After all, the President makes the point that public cooperation is a sine qua non. Needless to say, the most important thing that is required is to win public confidence. News blackouts are no way to do that.
First to the significant edited highlights in his statement: “Different people are expressing different views; however, we have three options. The first is to impose island wide curfew. Second, we can stay without doing anything. Third, we can allow people to resume their daily activities while we control the situation.
“We chose the third option. We did not close down the whole country, but we closed down the necessary areas. We have hospitalised the people who are unwell and directed the rest to home quarantine. We have completely locked down necessary areas. We allowed people in the rest of the areas to carry out their day-to-day activities.
“Previously our economy faced a massive crash due to the COVID -19 crisis. After we controlled the situation systematically, we were able to stabilise the economy to some level. We governed the country without detecting any COVID -19 patients for two months. The second wave of the pandemic came as a result of people taking the situation lightly. Some people did not follow health advisories, did not follow instructions. We are facing such a situation because everyone abandoned their responsibilities. We are unable to control COVID -19 if everyone does not act in a responsible manner. It is extremely easy to say to close down the country and go for a lockdown, but if we do that how will the people make a living?
“How would the people get food, work, engage in businesses and carry out farming activities. Without allowing them to engage in such activities how can we keep them alive? The people who come before the media should tell people what they should do to control the spread of the pandemic. They should educate people about how to improve immunity. The doctors know about this, when they come before the media, they should educate people about these matters.
“They should explain the seriousness of the situation. They should explain to the people how they should control the spread of the pandemic while the country is running their daily operations. The country must operate; we are spending an extra Rs 60 million daily due to COVID-19. When we are spending such an amount, people should be given awareness of their responsibility, which is to safeguard them from the pandemic. What are the responsibilities; what is the individual’s responsibility, what are the responsibilities that could be done for the family, how to treat people who are in high risk,
“People believe what doctors say. Therefore, the correct information should be given to people with responsibility. People should be told what they should do.
We should always look from the people's view; we should see how to keep the country operational and simultaneously control the pandemic, if we do both, that can be deemed as talent.
“People can say to lock down and to impose curfew, but the biggest responsibility of the high-level decision makers is to understand the consequences. This is a health issue, if this were a defence related issue, I would have been able to easily resolve it. This is no terrorist related issue. This is a health-related issue therefore the health sector has most of the responsibility.
“The health sector is made up of the cream of the country, (best of the country) the highest level of every generation in Sri Lanka engage in the health sector. Their responsibility in such situations is to think about the overall issue and provide an overall response.”
There are three main elements in President Rajapaksa’s statement. First is his reference to people not following instructions. He, however, did not elaborate. One is not wrong in saying that the people who did not follow health instructions most were those responsible for the wider explosion of the pandemic. He stopped short of saying whether he would pursue action against them. After all they have seriously stymied his own efforts, embarrassed the Government, and caused greater harm to the people. The other key element is the blame he has placed on the health sector which was placed under the military in the task force to combat Covid-19. The fact that there have been frictions is no secret. The third is that curfew and lockdowns are having a crippling effect on the country’s economy. He has ruled out curfews in the future for this reason. In marked contrast, during the 52-day lockdown and curfew from March, the daily figures of those identified as positive for Covid-19 were much less. Thus, it appears to be a choice between the devil and the deep sea. A study of this week’s figures portrays a grim picture.
Monday: Positive COVID-19 cases -356. (From Peliyagoda fish market, associates, and fisheries harbours 356)
One death reported, the deceased is from Kandana
Significant developments:
According to the request of Minister Justice, the attorney general has issued revised instructions and gridlines to acting IGP to grant bail to suspects in remand and file charges in order to reduce overcrowding of the prisons.
Angulana North, Angulana south Grama Niladhari areas are declared as isolated areas. Kandana and Mahabage police areas declared as isolated areas.
Tuesday: positive cases were 430. (From Peliyagoda fish market, associates430 and fisheries harbours)
Five deaths reported. Significant developments:
Court issues restraining order suspending sessions of Mawanella Pradesiya Sabha for a period of 07 days. Wednesday: Total numbers of confirmed Covid -19 positive cases were 635 (From Peliyagoda fish market, associates, and fisheries harbours 625 and from quarantine centers 10).
Five deaths occurred. The deceased were from Panadura, Keleniya, Colombo, Maligawatte, Imbulgoda. Significant development:
Since a higher number of Covid -19 cases reported in Western Province, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa directed people from travelling outside Western Province.
People in the western province prohibited from traveling outside the province till midnight November 15.
Train services from western areas stopped from midnight.
Thursday: The total numbers confirmed positive were 373 (From Peliyagoda fish market and associates 369 and fisheries returnees 04
two Deaths were reported from Colombo 12 and Meegoda
Significant incidents occurred on Thursday
Some prisoners at the Bogambara prison protested on the rooftops of the prison building asking authorities to perform PCR tests.
Health guidelines issued for Deepawali celebrations, religious activities not recommended for Kovils, in estates or in communities
Movements of peoples in isolated areas monitored using drone cameras, 15 people arrested after they were detected violating quarantine law in Mutwal, Colombo
All passenger trains scheduled on 14 and 15 November cancelled
Friday: The total numbers of positive cases were 468 (From Peliyagoda fish market, associates, and fisheries harbors)
Five deaths reported, the deceased are residents of Colombo 13. 14. Ratmalana and Chillaw.
Significant developments:
Total deaths so far are 53; 18 of them took place during this week.
The Total number of Covid -19 positive persons confirmed is 15,723. From them, 12,226 are from the Minuwangoda and Peliyagoda spread.
The total numbers of recoveries 11,031 the total number hospitalized currently 4644
The total number of PCR (650,257) Yesterday (Saturday) the Government Information Department said that the total number of positive Covid-19 cases were 214. This is besides 44 more, inmates of the Boossa prison inmates testing positive.
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is now preparing the budget is facing an uphill task in bridging the gap. This is without ‘placing too much burden on the people’ but the task is not easy. It will be presented in Parliament on November 17. It will be debated for 21 days and the final vote taken on December 10. One is not sure whether the degree of impact Covid-19 would have next year has been factored in.
However, it is high time President Rajapaksa took a close look at how the present anti-Covid 19 operations are conducted to take immediate action to resolve issues. It was only last week he placed the food supply chains under the purview of Basil Rajapaksa, who heads the task force on economic recovery and urged him to ensure there are no breakdowns. It was earlier carried out by the military-led anti-Covid 19 task force. Rightly or wrongly, most of the blame over issues are being placed on the President and his government. In another development, two weeks ago, a group of ministers went to the Battaramulla residence of Basil Rajapaksa after the conclusion of the Cabinet meeting. They were to request him to come to Parliament. Now, a group of 19 Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MPs have signed a petition urging Basil Rajapaksa to enter Parliament. They have hailed him as the one who had delivered victories to the SLPP.
This week, Basil Rajapaksa met groups of government parliamentarians during separate sessions at Temple Trees. The idea was to ascertain from them on which District Secretary’s area did they wish to serve as heads of Committees for development work. Thereafter, he handed down letters of appointment to them.
Sri Lanka is not alone in coping with the exploding Covid-19 pandemic. In the
United States, according to a Time magazine bulletin, “Less than a week ago, the U.S. surpassed 100,000 diagnoses in a day for the first time; yesterday (Thursday), a new record of 136,325 people was confirmed to have COVID-19. Morgue trucks are holding bodies in El Paso, Texas. One of Idaho’s largest hospitals has been forced to turn patients away.”
An acute shortage of beds in intensive care unit has been reported in Europe, the Associated Press reported. In Italy, only 2,849 ICU beds were filled out of a national total of 110,000 as of Thursday), but that figure was a huge jump from just 100 the day before. In Germany, ICU occupancy has tripled over just two weeks. Even in countries where ICU beds remain available, there is a growing shortage of doctors and nurses to staff them, officials warn.
Case numbers coming out of Russia are increasingly troubling, says the Moscow Times. The country recorded 21,798 new cases on Friday—breaking the daily national record -- led by 6,897 and 1,403 cases in Moscow and St. Petersburg respectively. Six regions in the country are posting infection rates 10 times higher than during the first peak in the spring. Despite the growing crisis, Moscow is ruling out a nationwide lockdown to head off an even worse winter surge; it is only encouraging people to wear masks and recommending that children and employees’ study and work at home.
President Rajapaksa was also busy with other important tasks this week. He named Nimal Punchihewa as the Chairman of the Election Commission. The other members are M.M. Mohamed, retired Election Commission official who served as a consultant during the past elections, Jeevan Thiagarajah, from the Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies, S. Samadivakara and K.P.P. Pathirana, a retired Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police. The Election Commission’s former chairman Mahinda Deshapriya has been named as the chairman of the Delimitation Commission. Jagath Balapatabendi, a retired Supreme Court judge is also listed for an appointment.
A onetime Inspector General of Police (IGP), Chandra Fernando has been named as the chairman of the National Police Commission. Eva Wanasundera, a retired Judge of the Supreme Court, has been named as chairman of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Corruption or Bribery (CIABOC). Sarath Wijesinghe, a former Sri Lanka envoy and attorney-atlaw has been named as chairman of the Human Rights Commission. Harsha Kumara Navaratne has been named a member. Former Cabinet Secretary Sumith Abeysinghe has been named as the chairman of the Finance Commission. Retired Justice Upali Abeyratne has been named as chairman of the Commission on Disappearances. More appointments are expected in the coming week.
As the Covid-19 pandemic rages, internecine issues in the Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB), the main opposition, continue. Naufel Rahman, Secretary to Opposition Leader Sajtih Premadasa (the SJB) has resigned. This is allegedly after a friend of the Premadasa family, who is on the front lines of running the SJB, had admonished him. For more than twenty years, Rahman was (Parliamentary) Secretary when Ranil Wickremesinghe was Leader of the Opposition and Prime Minister. Thus, Rahman is credited with having varied experience. The issue has caused concern for the party’s eight-member Leadership Council. They say that council decisions are not implemented since there was another coterie of family and friends around Premadasa taking decisions.
The Leadership Council comprises Ranjith Madduma Bandara, Kabir Hashim, Patali Champika Ranawaka, Tissa Attanayake, Thalatha Athukorale, Mano Ganesan, Rajitha Senaratne and Sarath Fonseka.
Nevertheless, the SJB parliamentary group last Wednesday discussed the growing issues caused by the spread of Covid19. They decided to move a vote of no confidence on Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarattchchi. A discussion also centered on what SJB parliamentarians called the hurried import of anti-gen testing kits by an influential businessman with very close connections to the government. They also decided to seek a debate on the situation. A three-and half-hour time slot was granted on Friday. The SJB gave notice of an adjournment motion which said:
“The people of the country are pushed towards danger due to the COVID -19 pandemic. The number of COVID –19 positive persons has exceeded 14,000 for 40 days have passed after the second wave began. The number of patients detected from the second wave alone has exceeded 11,000.
“We are clear that the government actions are irresponsible during this serious situation. There is a lack of PCR testing equipment in government hospitals and some of them PCR equipment is non-functional. In such a situation the Health Ministry has called for emergency tenders and imported rapid antigen test kits via the private sector.
“Meanwhile we made observation that until now the government has failed to implement the quarantine measures according to a scientific method.
“Therefore, we propose the government to look into the situation and give priority to face the COVID -19 threats.
During Friday’s debate, former Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne told Parliament that “Since April we called for the conduct of the antigen tests. It was not brought. But suddenly on October 28 tenders were called and closed on November 2. There was only one working day. There were 32 bidders. It was closed on November
2. On November 5, the Antigen test kits arrived in the country. I have never heard of a procurement done in such a hurry. If they worked at the same speed on other matters Covid-19 would have ended. The State Pharmaceutical Corporation Chairman said on November 9 that the Technical Evaluating Committee is still evaluating the procurement of these kits. Yet, a local company had already imported them.
“Two companies had submitted tenders. One of them is SD Biosenor. That is Dinasa Private Ltd. This is the Korean product. The other is Abbot Diagnostics of George Stuarts. They have quoted US$ 6.19. This has been given for registration to the NMRA on October 22. The date of award is also October 22. The other one was given for approval on 29th and approved on 29th itself.
An argument could be brought that the kits were pre-qualified from the WHO.
“The WHO has said it has been approved in September 22 by them for their use. The NMRA does not rely only on this approval. In Sri Lanka they have to go through the clinical and lab trial. Here at least the clinical trial has not been conducted.
“We provided an online facility earlier. But on October 15 the NMRA CEO put up a notice that all transactions will be online. His notice said nothing will be accepted manually. But that day, however, they have accepted them manually. The Evaluation Committee has not given the free sales certificate. That is important as that gives an assurance that they would continue to supply the products. It also says there is shortcoming in the packings. When it is imported for the first time a pre-test sampling is done at the port. That is to check if the packing is done properly. If that checking had been done, this report to say there is shortcomings in the packing would not have come to light. Another shortcoming is no Medical Research Institute (MRI) approval. But on the same day the award has been made. There is another one known as the Medical Devices Evaluation Committee within the NMRA. They have last met on October 7, but the certificate says they have given approval on October
19. We are told they did not meet. “Even if drugs are approved by the WHO it does not get approval by the NMRA automatically. The procedures are followed. One such example when we wanted a cancer drug imported. The NMRA carried the tests and released it only thereafter. The NMRA has clearly stated about packing. It says if the packing is not proper it cannot be registered. Therefore, how did it get registration?
“Why is Antigen tests carried out? That is to expedite testing. The purchases have been made for Rs 5,500. But we have a case where approval is sought on October 29 and approval being given on the same date and the items arriving in the county on November 5.
“Now they tell us this was imported for the private sector. The NMRA told me approval was given under one condition. That is subject to validation. That means the guidelines should be prepared by the Health Ministry. But the validation has not been completed even on November 9. According to the DDG Laboratory services the validation has not been completed by November 9. Without guidelines how can it be issued to the private sector. That too is illegal.
“Also, there was another stock of 150,000 kits which came in from the Netherlands. That has been held at the port due to a code issue. The WHO also has sent a donation of 100,000 kits free of charge. If stocks are coming free why do they buy them.”
Production, Supply and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals State Minister Prof Channa Jayasumana declared in his response to Senaratne that “The tender has been sent to theTechnical Evaluation Committee. It is currently evaluating the tender. The government has not yet awarded the tender to any company. The state sector has not yet purchased any antigen test kits. We will decide on the company that would be awarded the tender according to recommendations of the committee.
“The opposition has mixed up facts and misunderstood that private sector bringing antigen test kits with the government tender. The WHO has allowed to produce the antigen test kits via SD Biosensor Inc. and Abbott Company, the Sri Lankan representative of both companies is George Steuarts. They have connections with these companies from 2008 and 2016.”
“George Stuearts has a pervious relationship with those two companies. It has therefore completed the online registration years before. Hence, it has sent two applications to the NMRA to register the product on October 19 and 20, this year. It could not have waited until a decision of the Evaluation Committee: therefore, a subcommittee was appointed with a microbiologist. After that the information about the test kit was sent and approval obtained. When it was approved the subcommittee has told the company not to use the test kits until guidelines are given.”
Needless to say, that the parliamentary debate has thrown sufficient light on the private transaction which took place as the Government was considering the import of antigen test kits. One reality that has dawned is the fact that approval had been sought only after the imports had been made by a private sector company and now the use of the test kits has been put on hold. On the other hand, there is no gainsaying that the test kits were needed on a priority basis and at least one company made the best of it.
This week has laid bare a strange paradox. That the uncontrollable spread of the highly contagious coronavirus pandemic is, without doubt, one of the worst national crises for Sri Lanka. Unlike the 52-day curfew and lockdown, those tasked to prevent the spread of the pandemic have not been successful. The Government has not been able to win the support of opposition parties in this endeavour. Ironic enough, nor has the main opposition Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) or other opposition parties so far extended a helping hand. The SJB focus has centred more on criticism and on the controversial import of antigen kits. Little wonder like in similar failed situations, the people and the media have become the scapegoats. They faced the coronavirus threat from front and accusations from behind.