Jayasumana’s COVID blunder even before warming his seat
SUNDAY PUNCH 4
Heady, perhaps, by his sudden elevation as a ‘system change’ cabinet minister, Channa Jayasumana went beyond his health portfolio brief to make his maiden decision in office. Taking it upon himself to issue COVID health guidelines, he announced on Monday, shortly after he was sworn in, that it was no longer necessary to wear face masks in public places.
Apart from the controversy over the wisdom of this decision in the backdrop of mass crowds
at protests in the country, just who, in heaven’s name, did this Monday appointed Health Minister think he was when he issued his COVID health proclamation even before his ministerial chair had warmed to his weight?
Didn’t he know that it is only the Director General of the Health Service who has the exclusive legal right to issue health regulations? That it is not left to the Health Minister to recklessly rush to issue them and expose the public to danger by prematurely giving the all clear?
As a storm of protests developed over his rash announcement, Jayasumana tried to blow the clouds away by stating on Wednesday that it was not a political decision taken by him but one arrived at by the expert COVID committee. He said: “The Committee had taken the decision on April 3 to be implemented after the New Year. So, I announced it on April 19 when I assumed duties as the Minister. It is not a political decision.”
The issue, Mr. Minister, is not whether it was a political decision or not -- though it certainly smacks as one -- but of your right to overturn a COVID health guideline, even if recommended by the expert committee. It is only the Director General of Health who can issue it.
Three days later, the Director General on Thursday reinstated the mandatory face mask regulation, thus overturning the Health Minister’s decision. Director Medical Technology Services, Dr. Anver Hamdani said it was initially discussed at the technical committee but no decision was taken. However, this decision was announced in haste without proper consultation of the experts."
New Health Minister Channa Jayasumana had exposed the Lankan public to the risk of COVID infection by his unauthorized, arbitrary and reckless announcement that it was safe to discard the protective mask. Does he take any responsibility for placing the people in peril and the nation in danger of another COVID wave?
The only system change, it seems, has been nothing more than a change of the same moonshine in new mugs.