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Former DGHS Dr. Jasinghe insists on not lowering our guard till COVID-19 is eradicated

Published

4 years ago

2022/01/9

By Ifham Nizam

All health measures should be continued to control the transmission of the coronavirus from person to person, former Director General of Health Services Dr. Anil Jasinghe warned. Secretary to the Environment Ministry Dr. Jasinghe said that despite the fact that the Covid-19 virus was currently under control here, however, all health measures taken to control the transmission of the virus from person to person should be continued.

The Secretary made these remarks while participating in a briefing at the premises of the Ministry of Environment on the procedures to be followed for the prevention of coronavirus spread.

The government had instructed every institution to seek the services of a health officer to inform their officers of the required measures for Covid-19 suppression, however the Ministry of Environment did not specifically seek the services of such an officer, he said

Dr. Jasinghe, who took over the task of raising awareness in his Ministry said that the epidemic was currently under control in Sri Lanka but in some countries the Covid -19 and its new variant Omicron was spreading like wildfire. In New York City, for example, patients were still being reported. In the UK, about 100,000 patients were reported daily.

“We have faced a lot of difficulties in the past because of Covid -19. You know how the Sri Lankan government, people and institutions have faced great difficulties. At the same time, we were able to act in a way that did not harm foreign exchange earning institutions such as our Board of Investment as well as exporting institutions,” he added.

He believes that there should be some criteria for the health sector to take the country’s economy and social affairs forward while controlling the Covid-19 spread. “Everyone should act accordingly. The various social inequalities in the country should be prevented from aiding the spread of the pandemic. If social inequalities are included in the virus, the impact of the virus can be doubled.”

“It is now being shown that the Omicron virus, which is spreading worldwide these days, is less effective than other Covid strains. At present there is some control over the Covid-19 epidemic here”, Dr. Jasinghe said adding that even if a certain number of patients were reported, the clear reduction in mortality was a good thing. The reason was that the effect of the virus was gradually diminishing.

He noted that such epidemics were reported about a hundred years ago. The Covid-19 viruses should have stopped, but this time it took a long time for the virus to subside. As the virus intensified, different variants were set off, like firecrackers. Although the Covid-19 virus has some controls, it can be counterattacked. Therefore, all health measures to control the transmission of the virus from person to person should be continued.

Therefore, personal distance should be maintained. Also, wearing face masks, using hygienic fluids, and cleaning hands can be used as a tactic to control the spread of the Covid-19 virus.

Therefore, until the Covid-19 was eradicated from our country as well as the entire world, we would have to use the same tactics that were used to prevent it, Dr. Jasinghe said.

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Advisory for Heavy Rain issued for the Central, Uva, Sabaragamuwa, Eastern and North-central provinces and in Galle and Matara districts

Published

1 hour ago

2026/02/22

Priyan

Advisory for Heavy Rain Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre at 08.30 a.m. on 22 February 2026 valid for the period until 08.30 a.m. 23 February 2026

Due to the influence of the low level atmospheric disturbance in the vicinity of Sri Lanka, Heavy showers above 100 mm are likely at some places in Central, Uva, Sabaragamuwa, Eastern and North-central provinces and in Galle and Matara districts.

Therefore, general public is advised to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by heavy rain, strong winds and lightning during thundershowers

News

Matara Festival for the Arts’ inaugurated by the Prime Minister

Published

7 hours ago

2026/02/22

Priyan

The inaugural ceremony of the Matara Festival for the Arts, featuring a wide range of creations by local and international artists, was held on February 19 at the Old High Court premises of the Matara Fort, under the patronage of Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya.

The festival, centred around the Old High Court premises in Matara and the auditorium of the Matara District Secretariat, will be open to the public from 20 to 23 of February. The festival will be featured by visual art exhibitions, short film screenings, Kala Pola, and a series of workshops conducted by experts.

The inaugural event was attended by the Minister of Women and Child Affairs, Ms. Saroja Paulraj, along with artists, guests, and a large number of schoolchildren.

(Prime Minister’s Media Division)

News

Only single MP refuses salary as Parliament details pays and allowances

Published

11 hours ago

2026/02/22

Thilina Walpola

SJB Badulla District MP Nayana Wasalathilake is the only MP to forego salary and allowances, with all payments suspended following his written notification on August 20, 2025.

Only one Member of Parliament has chosen not to receive the salaries and allowances entitled to MPs, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya revealed in Parliament last Thursday, shedding light on the financial perks enjoyed by members of the Tenth Parliament.

Speaking on Thursday (Feb. 19) in response to a question from SJB Badulla District MP Chaminda Wijesiri, the Prime Minister outlined the full range of pay and allowances provided to parliamentarians.

According to Dr. Amarasuriya, MPs receive a monthly allowance of Rs. 54,285, an entertainment allowance of Rs. 1,000, and a driver’s allowance of Rs. 3,500—though MPs provided with a driver through the Ministry of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs are not eligible for the driver’s allowance.

Additional benefits include a telephone allowance of Rs. 50,000, a transport allowance of Rs. 15,000, and an office allowance of Rs. 100,000. MPs are also paid a daily sitting allowance of Rs. 2,500 for attending parliamentary sessions, with an additional Rs. 2,500 per day for participation in parliamentary sittings and Rs. 2,500 per day as a committee allowance.

Committee meetings held on non-parliament sitting days also attract Rs. 2,500 per day.

Fuel allowances are provided based on the distance between an MP’s electoral district and Parliament. National List MPs are entitled to a monthly allocation equivalent to 419.76 litres of diesel at the market price on the first day of each month.

Despite the comprehensive benefits, only SJB Badulla District MP Nayana Wasalathilaka has opted not to draw a salary or allowances. Dr. Amarasuriya said that in accordance with a written notification submitted by MP Wasalathilaka on August 20, 2025, payments have been suspended since that date.

The Prime Minister also confirmed that she, along with the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, committee chairs, ministers, deputy ministers, the Opposition Leader, and senior opposition whips, have all informed the Secretary-General of Parliament in writing that they will not claim the fuel allowance.

Challenging the ruling party’s voluntary pledge to forgo salaries, MP Wijesiri pointed out that all MPs except Wasalathilaka continue to receive their salaries and allowances. “On one hand you speak about the people’s mandate, which is good. But the mandate also included people who said they would voluntarily serve in this Parliament without salaries. Today we have been able to prove, Hon. Speaker, that except for one SJB MP, the other 224 Members are drawing parliamentary salaries,” he said.

The Prime Minister responded by defending the political culture and practice of allocating portions of MPs’ salaries to party funds. Referring to previous practices by the JVP and NPP, she said: “It is no secret to the country that the JVP has for a long time not personally taken MPs’ salaries or any allowances. I think the entire country knows that these go to a party fund. That is not new, nor is it something special to mention. The NPP operates in the same way. That too is not new; it is the culture of our political movement.”

When MP Wijesiri posed a supplementary question asking whether diverting salaries to party funds was an indirect method of taking care of MPs, Dr. Amarasuriya said: “There is no issue there. No question was raised; the Member made a statement. What we have seen throughout this week is an inability to understand our political culture and practice, and a clash with decisions taken by political movements that misused public funds. What is coming out is a certain mindset. That is why there is such an effort to find fault with the 159. None of these facts are new to people. He did not ask a question, so I have nothing to answer.”

The disclosures come days after the Government moved to abolish the parliamentary pension, a measure that has sparked renewed debate over MP compensation and the transparency of funds allocation.