UNP slams Govt. for delay in appointing acting Health Minister

Thursday, 18 February 2021 03:06 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Says President failed to appoint acting Health Minister for 19 days
Questions who is directing health policy, says 98 deaths recorded since Minister became ill

The United National Party (UNP) yesterday urged the Government to explain to the public why there was a delay in appointing an acting Health Minister during the COVID-19 crisis and criticised it for endangering public health during a pandemic.

Former Member of Parliament for the UNP Sandith Samarasinghe, addressing the media at Sirikotha, charged the Government with failing in their duties to ensure the health and safety of the public. On 23 January, Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi was diagnosed with COVID-19. On 28 January she was admitted to the IDH and was subsequently transferred to the Intensive Care Unit.

Her hospitalisation left her incapable of carrying out her duties. However, the Government delayed the appointment of an acting Minister of Health for 19 days. It was only on 16 February that the State Minister of Pharmaceutical Production was appointed as the acting Minister of Health, the former MP said.

Samarasinghe highlighted the fact that during the ensuing 19 days where the country had no Minister of Health, 98 people died from the COVID-19 virus. This figure amounts to nearly a quarter of the total death toll that has resulted from the pandemic.

“Despite the rising number of infections and growing death toll, the Government’s failure to appoint an acting Minister of Health demonstrated their indifference to the pandemic,” he said.

With the absence of a head of the medical authorities, the UNP urges the Government to explain who was making the necessary decisions in regards to the administration of the health sector.

“Without a Minister of Health, who has ensured that the medical authorities in the country were kept in line with the Government’s policies? Furthermore, during this period the Government has been in the process of obtaining the necessary COVID-19 vaccines for the country. Without a Minister of Health in office, who was responsible for ensuring that the President and the Cabinet of Ministers were kept abreast of developments regarding this vital procurement?”

Samarasinghe also drew attention to the Presidential Commission of Inquiry investigating the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks. During the hearings, allegations were levelled against former President Maithripala Sirisena that he failed in his duties by not appointing an Acting Minister of Defence in his absence.

The former MP questioned whether or not the current President had also failed in his duties in this regard.