11 May 2021 07:03 pm
While pointing out that political leadership and the mechanism in place to combat COVID pandemic were an utter failure, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) today called for the reforming of the COVID Task Force.
JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake told a news conference that considering the pandemic as an health issue, the health sector should be given more powers within the mechanism in respect of recommendations, monitoring and guidance.
"I am not especially praising or humiliating anyone. However, former Director General of Health Services Dr. Anil Jasinghe, Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Paba Palihawadana and Dr.Jayaruwan Bandara of the Medical Research Institute should be recalled into the COVID Task Force.They have rendered a yeoman service in the prevention of the pandemic during the first wave. This mechanism should be reformed," he said.
He said just as in any catastrophe, there should be a strong political leadership during this pandemic and, adding that it should be a collective political leadership.
"The whole mechanism is being manipulated under single political power. Whereas, it should have been brought under a collective political force. Initially, We asked the government to set up a mechanism with the participation of all political parties in the opposition. If they are reluctant to join the opposition political parties, this should be brought under a collective leadership, at least within the government. There are two former Presidents in the government. There are people who had held Deputy Chairmanship of the World Health Organization (WHO), consultant virologists and specialist doctors within the government. Such a mechanism can be used to take short-term decisions," he said. (Ajith Siriwardana)