COLOMBO ; Speaking to Colombo Times , Prof Rasheen Bappu, Chairman- Sri Lanka Chapter of the World Forum for Sri Lankan Muslims and a practitioner in prevention of extremism stated that Public health demands and depends on public trust. In the absence of public trust there cannot be effective public health. Public trust in public health is dependent on the professionalism, technical competence, scientific integrity and unbiased nature of public health officials.
Therefore, in sustaining the efficiency of the much talked about public health system in Sri Lanka those who lead it must have impeccable professionalism, technical competence, scientific integrity and be unbiased in decision making in terms of the scientific facts, regardless of outcome to any segment of the Sri Lankan population.
The COVID-19 pandemic was The public health issue which defined the response of public health systems the world over. We in Sri Lanka witnessed the absolute lack of professionalism, unscientific basis of interpretation and operationalization of policy based on epidemiological, hydrological, virological, anthropological and medical ethical data and concepts in the GoSL’s policy recommendation of cremation only as the death disposal method for death due to COVID-19.
The GoSL admitted that it was misled by the Ministry of Health appointed technical committee which developed, recommended and implemented the forced cremation policy in Sri Lanka.
The GoSL has since apologized without accountability for this unscientific decision of the medical and other professionals who made such recommdation. In the very likely event that Ministry has misplaced the names of the members of the said technical committee which recommended forced cremation.But he insisted not to appoint Dr Hasitha Thisera,Consultant Epidemiologist who was a member of the same commitee.
Furthermore, appointment of any person from the COVID -19 technical to the post of Chief epidemiologist will cause a serious lack of public trust in the public health systems in Sri Lanka both locally and internationally. This lack of trust would amplify many folds if a public health issue requiring considering demography and epidemiology in addition to medical science into the decision-making process if an episode requiring unbiased scientific thinking and decision making is required in the future. Any person who has served in the above committee will most definitely be influenced by factors other than the scientific evidence to the detriment once again of one or more vulnerable population segments in Sri Lanka as evidenced by previous unscientific recommendation of cremation only policy for COID-19 dead.
We the citizens of Sri Lanka are confident that in the selection and appointment of the Chief Epidemiologist , the Health Ministry will give due consideration to the scientific competence, integrity and unbiased nature of the officers you will consider. The medical and non-medical specialist who served in a committee which ignored the overwhelming scientific consensus internationally and recommended cremation as the only option for COVID-19 death disposal, by any objective parameter cannot and should not be considered as professionally competent. Their unprofessionalism caused the GoSL to issue a public apology (without accountability) to all Sri Lankans.
Considering all the above, we most sincerely urge the Ministry and all the dicision maker to use their good offices to take steps to appoint a suitable person with professionalism, technical competence, scientific integrity and track record which does not include being part of ignoring science for external factors influenced by ideology, politics and politicians.
Prof Rasheen urged the following persons namely Hon Ramesh Pathirana, MP – Minister of Health, Sri Lanka, Dr Asela Gunawardene – Director General of Health Services, Sri Lanka ,Mr. Sanath Ediriweera – Chairperson Public Service Commission of Sri Lanka,. Dr Alaka Singh – Country Representative, World Health Organization Country Office , Colombo, Sri Lanka, Dr Saima Wazed – World Health Organization, South-East Asia Regional Director, New Delhi, India and Dr Akindele Adebiyi – President, International Epidemiological Association (IEA) to take remedial action.
