While Sri Lanka is facing numerous challenges as a result of the outbreak of the disease, the country and its healthcare system seems to be responding to the situation satisfactorily.
by Javid Yusuf
The novel Coronavirus (or Wuhan Coronavirus as it is sometimes called) has emerged to pose a threat to the health of thousands all over the world. It has today reached a sufficient level of threat for the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare the outbreak sparked by the Coronavirus a Global Emergency.
According to WHO, a Global Emergency is defined as an “extraordinary event” that constitutes a risk to other countries and requires a coordinated international response. WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom has stated that the main reason for this declaration is not because of what is happening in China but because of what is happening in other countries.”
One of the concerns that the WHO Chief has expressed, is the potential for the virus to spread to countries with weaker healthcare systems. “We must all act together now to limit further spread. We can only stop it together.”
One of the countries where patients afflicted with Coronavirus have been detected in Sri Lanka. A 43-year-old female Chinese tourist who has been in the country since January 19 has been tested positive for the virus and is receiving treatment at the Infectious Diseases Hospital, Angoda. However, reports indicate that she is responding well to treatment and her condition is improving.
While Sri Lanka is facing numerous challenges as a result of the outbreak of the disease, the country and its healthcare system seems to be responding to the situation satisfactorily. Several welcome preventive measures have been put in place by the Government to curb the spread of the disease as well as to ease the difficulties of those who may be exposed to situations that pose a health risk.
Tracing the places where the Chinese national, afflicted with the Coronavirus, had visited and testing the persons who may have come into contact with her was a positive step in this direction. Identifying a separate gate for passengers who arrive from China was another measure taken in order to curb the spread of the disease. According to the Civil Aviation Authority, Airport authorities continue to remain on alert with regard to inbound and transit passengers coming from China and measures have been put in place to refer passengers with symptoms of illness to the relevant authorities for examination and report.
Efforts made to airlift students and other Lankan nationals back home must also be commended. These measures would have helped to ease the anxieties of parents and loved ones of those Sri Lankans who had gone to China for education and other work.
It is also necessary to commend the efforts of the Sri Lankan Embassy in Beijing who must have had their work cut out to look after the interests of Lankan nationals in China. Negotiating and coordinating with the Chinese authorities in the midst of competing claims on the latter’s time by other often more powerful or influential countries would have taxed the Embassy officials including the acting Ambassador no end.
There is also a useful lesson for the Foreign Ministry to ponder on for the future. When the Ministry recalls a Head of Mission from their post, should they not be asked to remain in the station until their successor arrives and takes over duties?
In this instance, the Sri Lankan Embassy was left with an Acting-Head of Mission to face the situation (probably because the Ambassador had been recalled to Colombo along with other political appointees). However, according to all reports, the Acting-Head of Mission K Yoganathan, together with his fellow officials, had risen to the occasion and worked hard to meet the needs of the situation.
The designation of several hospitals in the districts to cater to the needs of any situation arising from the detection of any potential patient afflicted from the virus, as well as the decision to quarantine the students returning from Wuhan Province in a special set-up at the Diyatalawa Army Camp are also welcome measures.
The tightening of visa procedures for Chinese Nationals arriving in the country as well as the individual medical examinations of Chinese workers who had returned to the country after the Chinese New Year are also steps in the right direction.
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa struck the right note in stating that politics can take a back seat in the face of the national crisis and has put forward several suggestions to the Government to address the situation.
The WHO has expressed satisfaction at Sri Lanka’s handling of the situation. According to a Health Ministry official, “Sri Lanka has from the initial stages implemented very strict measures to prevent the spread of the disease. In fact, the one person who has been infected with the Coronavirus is stable and recovering well. So the WHO is very happy at the measures taken by us.”
The only black mark is the attempt by unscrupulous traders to sell face masks at prices well above the usual amount and thereby cash in on the panic and fears generated by the situation. All in all, it can be said that despite criticisms of the system on different occasions in the past, the country’s healthcare system has coped well with the emergency situation that has arisen.
(The writer can be reached at javidyusuf@gmail.com)
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