While the crippling economic crisis has become the most pressing issue for most Sri Lankans, it has also diverted the people’s attention from many other issues that would have been priority concerns if the economic situation was stable.
According to the health authorities, the lack of attention to Covid-19 and dengue are likely to result in the re-emergence of these diseases. But, due to prevailing situation of the economy and the health sector, this time, their impact on the country is likely to be worse than before.
This week, the Health Ministry announced that there has been a slight increase in the number of Covid-19 cases in the Western Province, and that it is necessary for the public to pay attention to following Covid-related safety measures, especially wearing facemasks, as before. During the past few weeks, the health authorities have been warning the public of the possible increase in the number of Covid-19 cases, while health professionals requested the re-imposition of the mandatory facemask regulation to reduce the spread of the same.
Both these groups warned that the public's failure to be cautious about Covid-19 would lead to another Covid-19 outbreak in the country.
The public must understand that the circumstances under which Covid-19 is spreading now are quite unfavourable to the public. Due to the economic crisis, there is limited private and public transport, and all forms of public transport are operating at full capacity. At the same time, lengthy queues to obtain essentials have become a usual part of the people’s day-to-day lives. These queues and public transport have the potential to become breeding grounds for Covid-19.
To make matters worse, there is also an increase in dengue cases. This week, the health authorities stated that nearly 9,000 suspected dengue cases have been reported during the first three weeks of this month alone, while also warning that the dengue situation is likely to become a high epidemic.
At the same time, the medical community has also raised concerns about the monkeypox outbreak, which the World Health Organisation’s Emergency Committee recently declared a global health emergency. In a context where this has been reported in India, it is not too early to be vigilant about this, according to local experts.
The truth is, the nature and impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and also dengue that the country is seeing now could be considerably worse than what it was during the past few years, because the country’s health sector’s ability to handle a pandemic has waned, while the country’s susceptibility to a pandemic has increased, due to the economic crisis. The risks of the further spread of Covid-19 and dengue come in a context where the health sector has been strained by the shortages of medicines, the lack of hospital staff, and difficulties in travelling to hospitals, making it extremely difficult for the people to obtain health services. At the same time, there is no way to avoid crowded places or queues.
Another alarming situation is that, after seeing a large number of Covid-19 cases and related deaths over the past two years, the public has become largely desensitised to the threat of Covid-19. In fact, the health authorities’ warnings do not have the same effect as before, and safety measures are unlikely to receive the required attention. Unfortunately, when the people have to struggle to obtain essentials, Covid-19 becomes the least of their concerns – for those that are trying to find a way to secure their next meal, the threat of Covid-19 does not seem like a major issue.
In this context, although the health authorities pointing out these health risks in advance is admirable, their efforts should go beyond merely issuing statements. More attention should be paid to approaching people in queues and in other crowded places such as buses and trains, and the Public Health Inspectors, law enforcement authorities, and other relevant authorities should be tasked with this. In addition, these efforts would be more effective if these authorities were directed to deal with the crisis-affected people in a more cordial manner. Amidst all the challenges Sri Lanka is currently dealing with due to empty coffers, the nation literally cannot afford to deal with another outbreak of Covid.
The forgotten health crisis
27 Jul 2022
The forgotten health crisis
27 Jul 2022
While the crippling economic crisis has become the most pressing issue for most Sri Lankans, it has also diverted the people’s attention from many other issues that would have been priority concerns if the economic situation was stable.
According to the health authorities, the lack of attention to Covid-19 and dengue are likely to result in the re-emergence of these diseases. But, due to prevailing situation of the economy and the health sector, this time, their impact on the country is likely to be worse than before.
This week, the Health Ministry announced that there has been a slight increase in the number of Covid-19 cases in the Western Province, and that it is necessary for the public to pay attention to following Covid-related safety measures, especially wearing facemasks, as before. During the past few weeks, the health authorities have been warning the public of the possible increase in the number of Covid-19 cases, while health professionals requested the re-imposition of the mandatory facemask regulation to reduce the spread of the same.
Both these groups warned that the public's failure to be cautious about Covid-19 would lead to another Covid-19 outbreak in the country.
The public must understand that the circumstances under which Covid-19 is spreading now are quite unfavourable to the public. Due to the economic crisis, there is limited private and public transport, and all forms of public transport are operating at full capacity. At the same time, lengthy queues to obtain essentials have become a usual part of the people’s day-to-day lives. These queues and public transport have the potential to become breeding grounds for Covid-19.
To make matters worse, there is also an increase in dengue cases. This week, the health authorities stated that nearly 9,000 suspected dengue cases have been reported during the first three weeks of this month alone, while also warning that the dengue situation is likely to become a high epidemic.
At the same time, the medical community has also raised concerns about the monkeypox outbreak, which the World Health Organisation’s Emergency Committee recently declared a global health emergency. In a context where this has been reported in India, it is not too early to be vigilant about this, according to local experts.
The truth is, the nature and impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and also dengue that the country is seeing now could be considerably worse than what it was during the past few years, because the country’s health sector’s ability to handle a pandemic has waned, while the country’s susceptibility to a pandemic has increased, due to the economic crisis. The risks of the further spread of Covid-19 and dengue come in a context where the health sector has been strained by the shortages of medicines, the lack of hospital staff, and difficulties in travelling to hospitals, making it extremely difficult for the people to obtain health services. At the same time, there is no way to avoid crowded places or queues.
Another alarming situation is that, after seeing a large number of Covid-19 cases and related deaths over the past two years, the public has become largely desensitised to the threat of Covid-19. In fact, the health authorities’ warnings do not have the same effect as before, and safety measures are unlikely to receive the required attention. Unfortunately, when the people have to struggle to obtain essentials, Covid-19 becomes the least of their concerns – for those that are trying to find a way to secure their next meal, the threat of Covid-19 does not seem like a major issue.
In this context, although the health authorities pointing out these health risks in advance is admirable, their efforts should go beyond merely issuing statements. More attention should be paid to approaching people in queues and in other crowded places such as buses and trains, and the Public Health Inspectors, law enforcement authorities, and other relevant authorities should be tasked with this. In addition, these efforts would be more effective if these authorities were directed to deal with the crisis-affected people in a more cordial manner. Amidst all the challenges Sri Lanka is currently dealing with due to empty coffers, the nation literally cannot afford to deal with another outbreak of Covid.
Kapruka
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Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Automobile, Mother and Baby Products, Clothing, and Fashion. Additionally, Kapruka offers unique online services like Money Remittance, Astrology, Medicine Delivery, and access to over 700 Top Brands. Also If you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.Send love straight to their heart this Valentine's with our thoughtful gifts!