- Don’t open again Tuesday after closing tonight!
- When three thousand patients are found there can be outsiders and a thousand!
- An increasing number of patient’s bed management is unmanageable!
Four of Sri Lanka’s leading medical organizations are urging the government to immediately impose a 14-day strict travel restriction, or lockdown, on Sri Lanka’s situation. Addressing a media briefing this morning, the Sri Lanka Medical Association(SLMA), the Government Medical Officers ‘Association(GMOA), the Association of Medical Specialists (AMS) and the Inter-Committee on Medical Institutions stressed that this is the most important step to take at this juncture in considering the epidemic situation and the future of the country’s economy.
Initiating the media briefing, the President of the Sri Lanka Medical Association, Dr Padma Gunaratne, pointed out that according to the statistics received and the current situation in hospitals, we are in a very precarious position and the patient capacity of hospitals has reached its maximum. Accordingly, a number of world-renowned experts considering the incubation type of the culprit virus have pointed out that in order to control this situation, strict travel restrictions should be imposed island-wide.
She further commented there
“Many hospitals are overcrowded. Some of them need oxygen. Although 3,000 patients have been identified, there are three times as many in the society. Accordingly, about 10,000. This shows that the disease is widespread. At this juncture, if we look at other countries as low-income country, the country’s health sector will collapse if not properly governed. Other countries controlled the disease by imposing strict travel restrictions. Staying in the home as a family. Owen controlled the pandemic by controlling the family. All of us, the four medical associations, are united in demanding that the government give us the support we need to stay home for 14 days.
This proposal is scientific. We must reach a strict travel limit of at least 14 days, allowing for the necessary activities to take place.
Speaking at the media briefing, Dr Lakkumar Fernando, President of the Sri Lanka Specialists’ Association, said that the government is taking steps to increase the number of beds in hospitals and to provide the necessary facilities to the Intensive Care Units. Although it is a necessary step, he pointed out that if the spread of the disease is not controlled in the current situation, no matter how much the beds and facilities are increased, the situation will not be adequate.
“Increasing hospital facilities alone will not solve this problem. Tens of thousands of beds will be built in one day, but it will not be enough in the future. Priority should be given to controlling the spread of society. Experts who have studied the disease say that 14 days is a magic number. The last three days of lockdown have been a crime in a way. Although an experiment, there is no scientific background. That is wrong advice. All you need for three days is to continue. Do not break the three-day travel limit that has been announced so far and reopen it on Tuesday. But we urge not to reopen on Tuesday. Continue for 14 days. It is the best solution for the health of our country and the health of our economy.
He said. Dr Chandika Epitakaduwa, Vice President of the Government Medical Officers’ Association and Dr. Harsha Sathischandra, Consultant physician of the Inter-Committee on Medical Sciences also addressed the media.
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