… questions journalists’ integrity and exploitation of frequencies

By Shamindra Ferdinando

The Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) says the inoculation of the family members of doctors against the fast spreading Covid-19 pandemic was done with government approval. The GMOA said so at a media briefing on Tuesday (25) attended by its Secretary Dr. Senal Fernando, Assistant Secretary Dr. Naveen De Zoysa, General Committee member Prasad Kolombage and Media Committee member Dr. Hansamal Weerasuriya at their trade union office.

When the media sought an explanation as to why and how family members of doctors had been given priority in receiving the second dose of Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine, Dr. De Zoysa said that families of nurses as well as other health workers, too, had received the same vaccine.

Dr. De Zoysa emphasised that family members of doctors weren’t the only group benefited by the ongoing vaccination programme. The GMOA Assistant Secretary was referring to the programme launched on Monday (24) to vaccinate families of doctors and others in the health sector.

 Dr. De Zoysa said that those who had received the first Oxford AstraZeneca jab four and and a half months ago had been given booster doses. Responding to another query, Dr. De Zoysa said that the inoculation programme had been carried out with all necessary approvals and an investigation could be conducted in that regard.

The GMOA Spokesperson faulted the media for pursuing an agenda seriously inimical to the overall effort to bring the situation under control. At the onset of the question and answer session, Dr. De Zoysa alleged that a section of the media raised issues in a manner that gave the wrong impression to the public.

 Pointing out that the reportage of the issues at hand related to the Covid-19 situation undermined their efforts, Dr. De Zoysa said all segments of the society, including the media, were at risk. The GMOA official told the journalist who raised the issue that he, too, was in danger due to the rampaging Covid-19 virus.

 At the onset of the briefing, Dr. Zoysa warned of dire consequences if the two-week long travel restrictions, imposed till June 7 failed to produce the desired results. Underscoring their role in the overall efforts to convince the government to declare a two-week closure of the country, Dr. De Zoysa said that a section of the media seemed hell-bent on sabotaging ongoing efforts.

 Dr. De Zoysa reminded television channels frequencies that had been allocated to them belonged to the people therefore they couldn’t cause turmoil at the time of what he called a national calamity.

 Responding to another query over the continuing controversy over doctors’ families being given special status, Dr. De Zoysa asked the media whether the GMOA objected to journalists being given vaccines ahead of others?

 Dr. De Zoysa questioned the attitude of the media and how they approached the issue at a time politicians and others were criticised. Asserting that a section of the media had been utterly irresponsible and in some instances sought financial benefit at the expense of much needed stability, Dr. Zoysa emphasised that he was prepared to answer any question. The GMOA official revealed that one of his media contacts, who had showed some symptoms of Covid-19 in spite of being repeatedly advised by him to seek treatment, stayed at home.

Alleging that how those who advised the country responded to the life threatening situation, Dr. De Zoysa said that the journalist was tested positive for Covid-19 on Tuesday. Dr. De Zoysa said that there was another journalist at the media briefing who caused trouble and acted in a manner that undermined their anti-Corona project.

 Dr. De Zoysa said that the GMOA strongly believed that the entire population should be inoculated. The media could discuss disputed matters some other time but the immediate requirement was to educate the public of ways and means to meet the daunting Covid-19 challenge.

 Dr. De Zoysa said that he would be able to reveal the identities of those trade union leaders who received the vaccination along with their families as well as activists assigned to offices. The GMOA official in no uncertain terms questioned the honesty and the integrity of the media and their institutions. The GMOA spokesperson said that some of those causing mayhem over the vaccination of doctors’ families hadn’t at least prepared lists necessary to carry out such a project.

 Addressing the media on Monday (24), Dr. De Zoysa said that the plan to inoculate their family members were taken at a much higher level and some persons in the health administration could be unaware of the development.