DDGHS says situation not satisfactory but improving

By Rathindra Kuruwita

The situation in the country was not satisfactory, Deputy Director General of Health Services, Dr. Hemantha Herath said yesterday, adding that things were improving steadily. Dr. Herath said that over 50% of Sri Lankans had been fully vaccinated and that over 100,000 people were vaccinated on Tuesday (14) alone.

“This is a great achievement and makes it easier for the health sector to deal with the pandemic. However, if you ask me whether we should open up on 21 September, I would say I am not sure,” he said.

Commenting on reports that several people suffering from black fungus infection are being treated at the Colombo National Hospital, Dr. Herath said that none of them were COVID patients.

Meanwhile, Medical Technical Services Director Dr. Anwar Hamdani said that 2802 people had been buried at the COVID burial site at Ottamawadi, Batticaloa so far. There was more space there to bury victims of COVID, he said,

“Several alternative sites in Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Puttalam have been suggested but the technical committee has not looked into them yet,” he said.

Public Health Inspectors Union (PHIU) head, Upul Rohana said that a monk, who identified himself as a coordinating secretary of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa had assaulted a PHI at the Kekirawa MOH office on Tuesday.