Increasing heart attacks need urgent scientific probing: medical collective

By Chaminda Silva

A combination of both indigenous and western medical practitioners demands that government immediately investigates reports quoting doctors that there has been a sudden upsurge in heart attacks in recent weeks.

The National Organizer of the Indigenous and Western Medical Professionals’ Collective, Dr Udara Sampath, told a Colombo news conference that doctors at the National Hospital have warned that the number of heart attack cases had increased between 20 to 30 per cent.

“This increasing trend has been observed during recent weeks. This is not a matter to be overlooked. Fortunately not all who suffered heart attacks died. But this is a trend needing immediate serious study,” he said.

“We also have similar reports from hospitals in all provinces. This must be studied scientifically and the public kept informed.”

Admitting that the shortage of medicines due to the forex crisis may be one reason, he said nevertheless the trend needed serious study.

Director of the International and Research Department of the Lanka Technological Campus (SLTC), Dr Nanda Gunawardena, said that some have expressed the view that after effects of the anti-covid vaccines may be a cause.

They say that while countries such as the US and Canada administered a single type of vaccine and booster, this was not so in Sri Lanka where different types of vaccines and boosters had been used. Such doubts should be cleared through a proper scientific study by an appropriate state agency.

“While the number of covid deaths were reduced by vaccination, the after effects of using a cocktail of doses has not yet been studied even internationally,” Dr Gunawardena said.

Covid Death Prevention Coalition Convener Dr Chandana Jayalath and Ayurvedic Doctor Sumudu Liyanarachchi also addressed the press.