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Epidemiology Unit under investigation

22 Jun 2021

  • Health Ministry looking into shortcomings, negligence

  • Action after disciplinary inquiries 

By Buddhika Samaraweera   The Ministry of Health has launched an investigation into several concerns that have been raised recently regarding the data published by the Epidemiology Unit, especially those related to Covid-19 deaths, The Morning learnt. When inquired about this by The Morning, a senior Health Ministry official said that if there have been shortcomings in reporting Covid-19 deaths, the relevant investigation has been initiated with the intention of correcting them. Furthermore, if there has been any negligence on the part of any official in this regard, internal disciplinary inquiries will be conducted and necessary action will be taken, the official stated. Adding that the head of any institution should be held responsible for any shortcomings of the particular institution, he said that former Epidemiology Unit Head Dr. Sudath Samaraweera had been transferred on that basis. However, he noted that the transfer was not a punishment. “When such a problem arises in any institution, it is normal for certain officials to be transferred in order to conduct investigations in a transparent manner. Whether the relevant officers should be punished will be decided after conducting the necessary disciplinary inquiries and it will take some time,” he added. Following the transfer of Dr. Samaraweera to the post of National Dengue Control Unit (NDCU) Director, Dr. Samitha Ginige was appointed as the Epidemiology Unit Acting Director. Also, Dr. Aruna Jayasekara, who served as the NDCU Director, was transferred to the post of Kandy National Hospital Deputy Director General. Meanwhile, during a recent discussion chaired by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) President Dr. Anuruddha Padeniya alleged that there was a conspiracy behind the Epidemiology Unit not releasing accurate data regarding the Covid-19 pandemic. “The Epidemiology Unit has six main responsibilities. They are surveillance, outbreak control, vaccination, clinical co-ordination, operational research, and monitoring and evaluation, but none of that is being done properly. Consultants tell us that only three people do everything in the Epidemiology Unit without allowing anyone else to do the work, and I say, with responsibility, that this is a conspiracy,” he claimed. This was following the President’s assertion that the extension of the lockdown on 14 June was carried out based on incorrect data in terms of the number of Covid-19 deceased. 


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