Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi yesterday (18) debunked the attempts made by the Opposition to create controversies in connection to the appointments of former Health DG Dr. Anil Jasinghe and Dr. Jayaruwan Bandara.
Minister Wanniarachchi gave these clarifications when Samagi Jana Balawegaya MPs Chaminda Wijesiri and MP Hesha Withanage questioned the Minister concerning the said appointments.
Minister Wanniarachchi said, “We appointed Dr. Anil Jasinghe as the Secretary to the Environment Ministry as a promotion. We will be summoning him to all important meetings that will be held concerning the pandemic.”
Wanniarachchi further said: “When we appointed Dr. Anil Jasinghe as the Secretary to the Environment Ministry, I was tasked with appointing a new DG of Health. There was a complicated process for this appointment such as interviewing and presenting papers to the Cabinet. So, while we went through this process, we needed a Spokesperson for the Health Ministry to update the public concerning the pandemic situation. That is why we appointed Dr. Jayaruwan Bandara as the spokesperson. Following the appointment of the new DG, Dr. Bandara stepped down from his post voluntarily.”
Further, answering the MPs during the Oral Questions round in Parliament, Minister Wanniarachchi observed: “We receive health guidelines from the World Health Organization (WHO) to combat this pandemic. Some of the initial recommendations given by the WHO concerning the pandemic are not followed at present. While the researchers keep studying the virus, their understanding alters and we always get updated regulations and guidelines.
When the pandemic first hit the country, the entire country went in for a lockdown. But now, the WHO does not give such a guideline. We might have to live with this virus for another three and a half years. So we cannot close the country for this entire period.”