Health Ministry says relevant MOH should have been informed

• When the relevant woman arrived in the country on November 24, the Omicron variant was yet to be  detected worldwide
• No reason for alarm as necessary measures have been taken to ensure the safety of others

By Sheain Fernandopulle 

The Public Health Inspectors Union (PHIU) claimed that the Health Ministry had not officially informed them about the woman who was infected with the Omicron COVID variant enabling them to direct her contacts for quarantine or PCR tests.  PHIU Head Upul Rohana said they were also unaware that the woman was sent for home quarantine. 

“Thus, we have neither sent her nor her family members for quarantine,” he said.
“According to current regulations, a PCR should be carried out on the seventh day of the home- quarantine. However, we have not carried out PCR tests on her or any of her family members,” he added.

Responding to claims, COVID-19 Coordinator, Director of Technical Services of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Anwar Hamdani told Daily Mirror that when the relevant woman arrived in the country on November 24, even the world had not detected any of Omicron variant patients.
“However, I doubted whether it could be a suspected case and that’s why she was sent to a treatment centre in Lunawa,” he highlighted.

“As we were following regular protocols, the woman in question was home quarantined after completion of nine days at the treatment centre,” Dr Hamdani stated.

However, to the effect of what the PHI Head claimed, Dr Hamdani said people should not be alarmed as necessary measures had been taken to ensure the safety of others. 

Dr Hamdani proceeded to say that PHIs should still have been informed of this regard by relevant MOH officers and added they as the Health Ministry had done their duty.