19 August 2021 12:00 am Views - 82
By Sheain Fernandopulle
While stressing that the Epidemiology Unit is accused of the credibility of the morbidity and mortality data on COVID -19, Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) in a missive to the President said yesterday that the Epidemiology Unit has failed in all six tasks they are accountable for.
The GMOA said they had repeatedly pointed out that credible real time data is the most vital factor for implementing a public health strategy towards controlling the pandemic.
However, the Epidemiology Unit has failed in all the six tasks they are accountable for such as Disease Surveillance, Outbreak control, Vaccination co-ordination, clinical management, operational research, monitoring and evaluation.
Considering the current situation, the GMOA requested the President to assign the above tasks to Dr. S.M. Arnold, DDG Public Health Services (PHS- I) and appoint six committees under him to perform the above
six tasks.
“The Consultant Community Physicians attached to the Epidemiology unit shall be appointed to head these committees, so that they can work in collaboration with relevant authorities, experts and stakeholders to rectify the current crisis,” the GMOA added.
The GMOA was extremely critical of the Epidemiology Unit at one point and its President was very much vocal during meetings with the President on the activities of the Epidemiology Unit which was under Dr.Sudath Samaraweera, who was subsequently removed following certain accusations levelled by GMOA President and several others with regard to the daily COVID-19 death toll.