News
Over 9 mn PCR and Antigen tests since March 2020
DG, Laboratory Services denies manipulating Covid-19 testing strategy
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Dr. Sudath Dharmaratne, Deputy DG, Laboratory Services, says contrary to accusations by various interested parties, PCR and Rapid Antigen testing were being carried out according to a plan in line with the country’s response to the Covid-19 challenge.
Dr. Dharmaratne said so when The Island sought his response to allegations that the Health Ministry restricted PCR testing in a bid to artificially bring down the number of positive cases.
The top health ministry official said that currently priority was given to Rapid Antigen testing as they battled the rapid spread of the epidemic, particularly the Delta variant. In spite of initial difficulties experienced in the wake of Covid-19 eruption, the state laboratory services with the support of private labs were able to meet the challenging task, Dr. Dharmaratne said.
The assurance was given in the wake of the GMOA meeting new health minister Keheliya Rambukwella to discuss ways and means of strengthening the government’s response to the Covid-19 challenge.
Dr. Dharmaratne said that overall nearly 5 mn PCR tests had been conducted since March 2020 with the state sector undertaking the majority of tests. The private sector operated nine labs whereas the government managed 31 facilities. According to Dr. Dharmaratne state-owned facilities consisted of 22 with the health ministry, seven with higher education ministry and two with the Defence sector.
Responding to another query, Dr. Dharmaratne said that the health ministry enhanced the capacity of the existing state-owned facilities in addition to setting up several new labs a few months ago. “We are in the process of establishing four new labs at Ampara, Vavuniya, Polonnaruwa and Vathupitiwela,” Dr. Dharmaratne said, assuring the public of uninterrupted services regardless of the developing crisis.
Asked to explain, Dr. Dharmaratne pointed out that the sudden explosion in the epidemic prompted a review of the testing strategy. It wouldn’t be fair under any circumstances to reach unsubstantiated conclusion the health ministry had drastically reduced the number of PCR tests in a bid to give false sense of security to the public. “The current requirement is to identify those who had been affected as quickly as possible hence the increase in much faster Rapid Antigen tests,” Dr. Dharmaratne said.
The senior official said that still substantial number of PCR tests had been carried out on a monthly basis though compared to 700,000 done in May the figure could be less. Commenting on Rapid Antigen testing lunched in last Nov, Dr. Dharmaratne said that the Medical Supplies Division had so far issued approximately 5 mn kits whereas one mn stock remained. According to him, more stocks were in the pipe line and the health ministry didn’t anticipate shortage of required materials.
Dr. Dharmaratne emphasized that the challenge faced by the health sector was enormous. “We didn’t anticipate a scenario here similar to a global pandemic. The detection of Covid-19 patients is as important as the vaccination drive,” Dr. Dharmaratne said, urging the public not to rush for PCR and Antigen tests unless advised by health authorities.
Acknowledging that the steady rise in the number deaths and positive cases was a cause for serious concern, Dr. Dharmaratne requested the public to have faith in the public health system. The official pointed out that far bigger countries with much stronger economies too faced unbearable pressure. Dr. Dharmaratne said that Sri Lanka with the support received from various countries, organizations as well as individuals sustained the campaign against Covid-19.
Declining to name any party that had hindered their efforts, Dr. Dharmaratne urged the health sector to unite whatever the existing differences to defeat the life threatening epidemic.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
