MoH issues revised operational guidelines for banks and NBFIs

Ministry of Health (MoH) has issued revised ‘Operational guidelines on the preparedness and response for COVID- 19 outbreak for banks and Non-Bank Financial Institutions’ (NBFI), considering the sector’s high vulnerability for the transmission of the virus due to the nature of services provided.

On April 28th, the Director General of Health Services (DGHS) Dr. Asela Gunawardana circulated fresh guidelines in a nine-page document to be followed by banks and Non-Bank Financial Institutions by revising the ‘Operational Guidelines on preparedness and response for COVID- 19 outbreak for banks and Non-Bank Financial Institutions’ circulated in November 2020 in the wake of the third-wave of COVID infection in the country.

“Since there is emerging evidence of air borne transmission of the COVID- 19 virus, it is important to be prepared and take precautionary measures at the earliest. Therefore, additional measures mentioned in this document are to be adhered to in combination with the general measures and all infection prevention measures mentioned in the ‘Operational Guidelines on preparedness and response for COVID-19 outbreak for banks and Non-Bank Financial Institutions’, issued in November 2020 to safeguard the employees, clients and visitors,” it stated. 

As per the additional measures, the financial institutions are required to ensure good air circulation in all work areas and, to leave doors and windows open where feasible. 

Where air conditioners are used, the institutions are required to maintain good air circulation with proper air filtration by increasing the air circulation rate, and also encouraged to seek additional expert advice on their individual air conditioning requirements.  

In the period, the financial firms are also urged to refrain from organizing parties, trips and other get-togethers where crowd would gather. Further, the employees are required to wear a face mask properly.

The document also elaborated on step-by-step response measures to be followed in detecting a COVID-19 positive employee in the sector.

The monitoring mechanism was also modified requiring banks to submit ‘COVID-19 alert and Non-Bank Financial Institutions’ google form to be submitted on a weekly basis

“The Institutional Level Focal Point (Overall) has to complete the ‘COVID- 19 weekly alert for banks and Non-Bank Financial Institutions’ Google form and submit it (occhealthunit2021 agmail.com), on a weekly basis (every Monday), considering the current COVID-19 situation in the country,” it stated.