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Association of Medical Specialists calls for district level lockdowns
The Association of Medical Specialists (AMS) has urged President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to impose ‘lockdowns’ at district level with immediate effect to bring the raging Covid-19 pandemic under control.
The AMS has also sought an urgent meeting with President Rajapaksa to explain ways and means of meeting the health challenge. The AMS has stressed the need to revisit what the professional body calls Covid-19 management strategy without further delay.
The AMS has questioned the rationale behind claims that vaccination is a panacea.
The following is the text of a letter titled, ‘Battle against Covid-19: Are we at a tipping point” written jointly by Dr Lakkumar Fernando and Dr. R. Gnanasekeram, President and General Secretary of the AMS, respectively: “As medical specialists serving in the frontline of the fight against Covid-19, we strongly believe that Sri Lanka is at a critical stage. Number of new cases keep rising continuously. During last week, the daily number of ‘declared’ new infections have consistently been over 1,800, and went above 2,500 during the last 24 hours. The number of Covid-related deaths too have been increasing steadily, with daily counts of approximately 20, even after a questionable exclusion of those with co-morbidities. We should appreciate at least three times the reported number of new cases do exist in the community.
“We also know that healthcare resources are fast reaching its threshold. Health sector beds and available facilities are almost saturated. Requirement for oxygen is increasing exponentially as we have started seeing more symptomatic patients. ICU beds are almost fully occupied. Healthcare professionals are exhausted and apprehensive with many getting infected with Covid-19 themselves.
“Preliminary predictive disease modelling done by WHO, Geneva, recently with the assumption that current disease trend will continue without any public health interventions, Sri Lanka would most likely be reporting 10,000 cases daily within the next three weeks. If that happens, we can expect the number of deaths to exceed 100 per day. If the country reaches this ‘tipping point’ with the disease spiraling out of control, it would be extremely difficult to recover from that point.
“Some are of the opinion that vaccination is the panacea to all our problems. There are two challenges to that narrative. One is the problems associated with quick access to safe and effective vaccines to cover at least 65-70% of the population with two doses. The time taken for vaccines to provide protection has been widely accepted to be at least three weeks weeks after the second dose. Pending protection from the vaccines which is the key pillar supporting the fight against Covid-19, public health interventions to restrict people’s movements should be the most important tool to avert a disastrous outcome during this critical period.
“Therefore, we urge Your Excellency to impose effective lockdowns at least at district level to restrict people’s movement with immediate effect. The current practice of isolating communities at GN division level is neither preserving economic activity nor controlling transmission of the disease. Whilst assuring the President of our unstinted support to overcome the present challenges and save Sri Lanka from an unprecedented public health catastrophe, we hope the recommendations made by us will be implemented urgently. We also believe that the time has come to revisit Sri Lanka’s management strategy of Covid-19 before it rages out of control.
“We hope and pray that Your Excellency would consider our request and suggestions in the right spirit and in a constructive manner.
We are aware that your Excellency has an extremely busy schedule at present due to a variety of reasons. However, we would be very grateful if you could give us an opportunity to meet you with a group of relevant professionals to explain further why we think some drastic measures are immediately needed.”
The newly appointed Cabinet Committee tasked with ensuring the uninterrupted functioning of Sri Lanka’s public service held its inaugural meeting on Thursday (19) at the Presidential Secretariat under the patronage of Prime Minister Dr Harini Amarasuriya.
The Committee convened to discuss strategies to maintain seamless government operations in the face of potential disruptions caused by the ongoing conflict situation in the Middle East, with particular focus on energy resource management.
According to officials, the discussions emphasised sustaining essential government services, ensuring continued service delivery to the public, and addressing the operational challenges faced by public sector employees during the current circumstances. The Committee also examined measures to mitigate any disruptions that could affect day-to-day administrative and service functions across ministries and departments.
Key attendees at the meeting included the Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government A. H. M. M. H. Abayaratne; Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake; Secretary to the
Prime Minister Pradeep Saputhanthri; Chief of Staff to the President Prabath Chandrakeerthi; and senior secretaries from key ministries including Health and Mass Media, Transport, Highways and Urban Development, Energy, and Digital Economy.
Representatives from state institutions such as the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation were also present, highlighting the government’s focus on energy security as a central priority. The Committee’s deliberations underscored a coordinated approach to balancing uninterrupted public service delivery with effective management of limited energy resources amid the ongoing geopolitical uncertainties.
Observers note that the formation of this Cabinet Committee reflects the government’s proactive stance in safeguarding national administrative functions and ensuring that critical public services remain resilient during times of external pressures.The Committee is expected to meet regularly to monitor developments, evaluate emerging risks, and implement practical measures to maintain operational continuity across the public sector.
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa on Friday lashed out at President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in Parliament, accusing him of failing to uphold international law during wartime.
Premadasa said the President’s claim of neutrality ignored breaches of the UN Charter—including Articles 2.4 and 2.7—and other global conventions. “A neutral stance requires openly acknowledging violations,” he argued, criticizing the absence of ethical mechanisms to safeguard international law.
He also questioned the President’s handling of maritime issues, particularly whether Sri Lanka had been informed of the alleged attack on the Iranian vessel IRIS Dena, stressing that the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) permits only peaceful activity.
On the economic front, Premadasa condemned the government for missing a chance to buy Russian oil during a 30-day U.S. sanctions suspension.
He said attempts to advise the Foreign Ministry, including a meeting with the Russian Ambassador, yielded no progress.
Premadasa further ridiculed the government’s earlier dismissal of the QR code fuel system, noting that officials are now adapting to it.
Turning to broader economic concerns, he called for immediate negotiations with the IMF to secure a new agreement, warning that the current primary balance of 2.3 is unsustainable. He stressed the urgent need for a poverty-reduction program, highlighting that one-third of Sri Lankans live in poverty.
He also demanded that surplus Treasury funds be used to support relief packages, arguing billions in reserves could aid households struggling with income shortfalls.Concluding his address, Premadasa criticized the government for failing to prepare for foreseeable crises, leaving the country vulnerable.
Former Minister Johnston Fernando, his two sons, and three others were remanded by the Wattala Magistrate’s Court yesterday (20) until April 2, the court confirmed.
The suspects, including Fernando’s elder son Johan, younger son Jerome, and a former transport manager of Lanka Sathosa, are under investigation by the Police Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID).
Authorities allege the Lanka Sathosa lorry was misused for operations linked to an ethanol company reportedly owned by Fernando, causing an estimated Rs. 2.5 million loss to the state.
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