Council of the Sri Lanka Medical Association SLMA writes to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. SLMA says the COVID situation in the Western Province has reached an extremely serious point, with all intensive care beds and COVID-wards in hospitals being fully occupied by COVID-19 patients, and there being no medical facilities available to many seriously ill COVID-19 patients. Neither are hospital beds available to new COVID19 patients who are increasing in number daily at an alarming rate, some of whom are seriously ill.
SLMA further says that the current surge is consistent with the spread of the Delta Variant of the virus, which is both highly transmissible, causes a more severe morbidity and higher mortality. It will take only a short period of time for the Delta Variant of the virus to spread from the Western Province to other less affected parts of the country and thus, Sri Lanka is on the cusp of a major COVID-19 epidemic; even worse than any previous experiences with this virus.
“The health workers who are at the frontline of defence are themselves becoming victims of covid-19. Within hospitals COVID19 infections are being transmitted to patients who seek care for other diseases” SLMA says.
Full Letter . We, the Council of the Sri Lanka Medical Association SLMA, wish to express our sincere gratitude to President for arranging the most efficient vaccination programme that is being implemented island wide. The decision taken to prioritize older people and patients with comorbidities also need to be appreciated.
The current COVID19-vaccination drive must be enhanced and continued with emphasis and monitoring for the compliance with the second dose.
However, it cannot be expected to have an impact on curbing this current wave of the epidemic as the expected protection takes time to develop. The insufficient coverage particularly in people less than 30 years and the fact that vaccine-induced immunity is not highly effective in preventing infection caused by the fast-spreading Delta Variant, may contribute further to this phenomenon.
As at present, there is a rapid escalation of the COVID-19 epidemic, particularly in the Western Province it has reached an extremely serious point now, with all intensive care beds and COVID-wards in hospitals being fully occupied by COVID-19 patients, and there being no medical facilities available to many seriously ill COVID-19 patients. Neither are hospital beds available to new COVID19 patients who are increasing in number daily at an alarming rate, some of whom are seriously ill. The health workers who are at the frontline of defence are themselves becoming victims of covid-19. Within hospitals COVID19 infections are being transmitted to patients who seek care for other diseases.
Patients with other disease conditions, some requiring urgent life-saving measures are being deprived of treatment because the health system is overwhelmed with the COVID19 response. The current surge is consistent with the spread of the delta variant of the virus, which is both highly transmissible, causes a more severe morbidity and higher mortality. It will take only a short period of time for the delta variant of the virus to spread from the Western Province to other less affected parts of the country and thus, Sri Lanka is on the cusp of a major COVID-19 epidemic; even worse than any previous experiences with this virus.
As medical professionals we express our grave concern over this situation and request that immediate measures be taken to prevent the epidemic escalating further.
Only stringent measures to restrict human movement and avoidance of crowds, combined with the practices currently being enforced and practiced such as mask wearing, hand sanitation and maintaining social distance will have an impact on this wave of the epidemic.
The lifting of the restrictions on travel between provinces, and gatherings of people such as at social events, entertainment hubs, places of worship, public transport and offices, will greatly worsen the current extremely catastrophic situation that prevails.
We, at the SLMA urge the Government to respond urgently to protect the people from COVID-19 illness and death, and to take immediate measures to strengthen the health system to deal with the ongoing epidemic. We remain committed to assist in all your endeavours to safeguard the health of the nation.
