Reporting Covid-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka Stick to authorised Govt. sources only - Health Ministry informs all media

• Do not mention ethnicity/religion of infected, quarantined or deceased victims
• Do not report to instill hatred amongst communities 
• Do not air footages, photos of infected or victims against their will

By Kurulu Koojana Kariyakarawana   

The Ministry of Health along with the Department of Government Information yesterday requested all media houses and journalists actively engaged in reporting the current Covid-19 pandemic to stick to authorised state information sources only and nothing else.  

Director General Government Information Nalaka Kaluwewa forwarding a statement issued by the Director General Health Services Dr. Anil Jasinghe last evening said, the latter had announced a set of guidelines to be followed by all media personnel and houses in reporting the developing situation of the local pandemic.   
The DG Health Services had requested the media to use only the confirmed and verified information disseminated through the authorised government sources, as the credibility of certain news reports being published by journalists based on the quotes and statements obtained from various individuals in the health sector authorities, could lead to a state of confusion.   Therefore, the media could obtain data and situation reports issued by the Department of Government Information, Ministry of Health and SL Army Media about the current developments.   

They also requested the media not to mention the ethnicity or religion of the people being subjected to quarantine, patients or deaths of the Covid-19.   

It was also requested to mention the infected persons as patients of the pandemic and not as someone who carry the disease to others.    The authorities informed the media not to broadcast any video footage or photograph of those being subjected to quarantine, against their will. Airing of sensitive video footages of the deceased victims and the cremation process should be done with semi-blurred visuals.   

The guidelines specifically request from the media not to report in a manner that would instill hatred among communities about the infected and the patients.   It further stated that by doing so the potential infected persons would not present themselves to the health services out of fear of public outrage and social stigma.    Dr. Jasinghe further requested the media to cooperate in reporting to uplift the positive mindset of the public during this difficult period, whilst thanking them for their commitment thus far. 

• The DG Health Services had requested the media to use only the confirmed  and verified information disseminated through the authorised government  sources