The GMOA wrote to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa today (9 April) objecting to a circular issued by the Director General of Health Services (DGHS) Dr. Anil Jasinghe on quarantining of persons who have traveled between districts.
The circular issued on 8 April states,” There is no need for quarantining any person who has traveled out of the residing district or returning home from another district. This include those who have traveled to districts identified as high risk for COVID-19.”
The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) objected to this stating that at the moment the above group of people are quarantined by the public health staff at Provincial /District and Divisional levels, in order to prevent possible outbreaks within low risk areas. “Our membership and other public health staff are deeply disturbed by this sudden unilateral decision and have informed us about the possibility of adverse consequences,” the GMOA said in the letter sent to the President.
The Association said it has already forwarded a proposal on an exit strategy consisting of development of criteria to define sterile, buffer and contaminated zones and a governance structure for movements within each and every zone as well as for crossing borders.
The GMOA sought appropriate intervention from the President with regards to this circular in order to avoid potential disruption of above exit strategy and resulting in disastrous consequences.
Pix source : President's Media Division (PMD)