News
Appeal to delay pregnancy: Not official stand says Dr. Sudarshini
‘Decision in the hands of Expert Committee chaired by DGHS’
By Shamindra Ferdinando
State Minister of Primary Health Care, Epidemics and Covid Disease Control Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle says that the Expert Committee on Covid-19 will have to decide on making an official request for women not to get pregnant for about a year.
Dr. Fernandopulle said so when The Island sought her opinion on Dr. Harsha Atapattu’s appeal to the newly married and others to delay getting pregnant in view of the increased threat posed by the raging Covid-19 epidemic.
Dr. Asela Gunawardena, Director General of Health Services (DGHS) heads the Expert Committee. Dr. Gunawardena didn’t answer his phone.
Dr. Atapattu made an unprecedented appeal at the regular media briefing at the Health Promotion Bureau on Wednesday (8). Dr. Atapattu addressed the media along with Health Ministry spokesperson Dr. Hemantha Herath. He urged family planning during the interim period as the epidemic posed a severe threat to both mother and child. Dr. Herath too didn’t answer his phone.
The appeal was made in the wake of authorities placing the number of pregnant women infected by Covid-19 at 5,500 and the number of fatalities from the virus in that group at 41.
Asked to explain her stand as the State Minister in charge of Covid, who was also a medical specialist, the Gampaha District lawmaker said Dr. Atapattu’s appeal should be examined against the backdrop of the pregnant being at a high risk of contracting Covid-19, especially the Delta variant.
“Maternal death rate has gone up due to Covid-19 as immunity is weak during pregnancy,” Dr. Fernandopulle said.
Responding to another query, Dr. Fernandopulle emphasized that she shouldn’t be misconstrued as being supportive of the appeal.
The State Minister said that she made her assessment on scientific facts to save the life of the mother and baby. Questioned whether she believed the crisis could be overcome by family planning methods, the State Minister said that the issue at hand was whether things would improve in a year.
Dr. Fernandopulle said that she was not aware whether the issue had been discussed at the ministry level before Wednesday’s announcement was made at the Health Promotion Bureau.
So far, Covid-19 has caused nearly 11,000 deaths.
Acknowledging the merits in the appeal, Dr. Fernandopulle emphasized that it would be far more important to control the virus and its rapid spread. Asserting that it was an individual doctor’s opinion, Dr. Fernandopulle said that the opinion of the Sri Lanka Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ body too was important in that regard.
The Island sought views of several persons in the health sector regarding Dr. Atapattu’s appeal. They asserted that though Covid-19 posed quite a threat and a challenge, it wouldn’t be realistic to advise families or couples not to have babies.
WHO says there is no evidence to suggest that pregnant women are at a higher risk than the general population, of getting severely ill from the virus.
According to WHO, because a woman’s immune system undergoes changes during pregnancy, it is crucial that she takes good preventative measures to protect herself from illness, including COVID-19.
The government has chosen not to respond to questions raised by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) regarding the detention of retired Maj. Gen. Suresh Sallay in connection with the ongoing investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested the ex-official in late February this year. The Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health and the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers have jointly raised the issue on 20 July, 2026.
Drawing attention of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to what they called alleged arbitrary detention of Sallay, former Director General of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) and former Director of Military Intelligence (DMI), under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), as well as allegations of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment while in custody, resulting in the grave deterioration of his health, and imminent risks of retaliation through further torture and ill-treatment resulting in irreparable harm, should he be released from hospital and returned to custody, the UN sought the government explanation with a 60-day period.
The UN has stated: “This communication, and any response received from your Excellency’s Government, will be made public via the communications reporting website at the 60 days mark. Should your Excellency’s Government respond within 60 days, both the communication and the response, may be published before the 60 days mark. The communications and responses
will also be made available in the subsequent periodic report to be presented to the Human Rights Council.”
In the absence of the government’s response, the UN posted the letter, dated 20 July, 2026, addressed to President Dissanayake. The full letter can be accessed https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=31125
News
Section of wartime KKS High Security Zone vacated to facilitate economic development in the area
The Army, last week, vacated an area, within the wartime high security zone in the Jaffna peninsula. The Defence Ministry said that an extent of 187.56 acres of land, belonging to the Cement Corporation in Kankesanthurai, Jaffna, has been released by the military. The released land, located in Grama Niladhari Division J/233, Kankesanthurai West, within the Valikamam North (Tellippalai) Divisional Secretariat Division, had been utilised by the Sri Lanka Army since the middle of 1997.
The release of the 187.56-acre extent forms part of the initiative to make State land available for the proposed investment zone in Kankesanthurai, thereby facilitating future investment and economic development in the area.
A complaint has been lodged with the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau against the Government Printer and the Secretary to the Ministry of Media regarding the online release of falsified documents bearing a forged Speaker’s certificate.
Attorney-at-Law Aruna Laksiri has lodged a complaint with the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau requesting legal action against the Government Printer of the Department of Government Printing (No. 118, Dr. Danister de Silva Mawatha, Colombo 08), Prasanna Jayaratne, and the Secretary to the Ministry of Mass Media (Asidisi Medura, 163, Kirulapone Mawatha, Polhengoda, Colombo 05), Dr. Anil Jasinghe.
The complaint alleges the commission of offences by forging and uploading falsified documents online using a forged Speaker’s certification, failure to perform statutory duties, and misappropriation of public property.
The complaint states that a copy of the English translation of the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution was downloaded and printed from the official website of the Government Printing Department (www.documents.gov.lk), which operates under the Ministry of Mass Media. On its outer cover and on page 1, the text “certified on 25th of September, 2026” is inscribed inside brackets.
The complaint pointed out that the Speaker has certified an English translation. Under Articles 23, 79, 83, and 80 of the Constitution, Parliament enacts laws and the Speaker certifies bills strictly in the Sinhala and Tamil languages; under the Constitution, therefore the Speaker cannot apply such certification to an English translation.
Showers or thundershowers will occur at several places in the most part of the island after 1.00 p.m
Geneva takes up Sallay’s case and govt. ignores opportunity to answer accusations
Section of wartime KKS High Security Zone vacated to facilitate economic development in the area
Lawyer lodges complaint against Govt. Printer, Media Ministry Secy.
Sri Lankan troops in joint anti-terrorist exercise in Russia
Nine Indian poachers brought to KKS with their boat
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
Sunday Island 27 December – Headlines
#SundayIsland 17th December – Headlines
Sunday Island – 28th March
Sunday Island Headlines – 21 March
Sunday Island – 21st February – Headlines
-
Latest News6 days agoGold winner Tharanga gets brand-new Honda Vezel from SLAAJ
-
Features6 days agoWhy Sri Lanka needs an Inclusive Civic Nationalism – urgently
-
News5 days agoUS-assisted ‘Ice’ detection: NPC to examine IGP’s move to transfer drug-busting team
-
Features7 days agoThailand’s biggest new global star …
-
News7 days agoFirst cases taken up by SC after enactment of 22A dismissed
-
News6 days agoCivil society activist accuses govt. of favouring Ven. Gnanasara
-
Editorial4 days agoColombo Port drug bust: The plot thickens
-
Editorial7 days agoAftershocks of 22A