Is The GMOA In Self-Imposed Quarantine?

By Sam Panditha –APRIL 1, 2021

Dr Sam Panditha

The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) has been eerily quiet the last two months. In the past, a week did not go past without us seeing the GMOA officers in their Red GMOA tie, telling us what is wrong with the country or the grievances affecting their own cadre (Government Medical Officers).

Last year, we have seen the biggest medical threat faced by humanity (COVID-19) and we expect the preachers from GMOA to salvage us with sound advice to the Government and to us the public. If the GMOA has suddenly given up US the public and let us decide our own COVID challenge, the GMOA should at least on behalf of their members (Government Medical Officers) who are on the frontline make a determined and action oriented stance on how to save the Country from the Pandemic and in turn their brethren (Government Doctors). Or is it GMOA only interested in safeguarding their monopolised income source and been so greedy, do not even care about their own health risk from COVID. The GMOA Government job is only a part time job. Main job is the private consultancy. We saw a significant drop in private hospital consultation appointments. If the situation got worse their entire lucrative consultancy income would have gone down. With such a monetary threat, why is the GMOA silent?

Let us look at some of the areas GMOA should have stepped in and the double standard they have practiced in the past.

Covid Vaccination Plans

The COVID vaccination was haphazard to say the least. Can GMOA tell us what was the initial vaccination plan, progress to date and plan for tomorrow (let alone the plan for the future)? Today if I ask where the vaccination is given in my area tomorrow, there is nowhere to get such information.

Initially it was advertised that vaccine will be given in Campbell Park. Hyde park etc. Thousands flocked in but utter mess and higher COVID infections due to not distancing. Even I was confused where to get the vaccine. Many irregular-patronage related vaccines were given. In my case I tried various places and accidentally got one from Kirulapona.

All that was needed was to have a daily plan, starting from say the over 80s, then over 70s. Simply publish the vaccination centre names, NIC first digit range for age (for over 70s NIC stating 41 to 50), also to avoid all rushing at 09.00, state the NIC ending 1-3 from 09.00-11.30; NIC ending 4-6  from 11.30 to 13.30 and the NIC ending 7-0  from 14.00 to 17,00. A simple logical plan.

This could be the result of too many cooks and inability to come with a single coherent plan. We have 3 Ministers covering Western Medicine (Prof Channa Jayasumana, Dr Sudarshani Fernandopulle, Mrs Pavithra Wanniarachichi), 2 Ministers Covering indigenous Medicine, a Special Presidential Covid Officer Mr Lalith Weeratunga, Army General and Shavendra Silva, 25 District Military officers to implement the medical plans and a Police spokesman that we see daily on TV, telling us what to do or not to do for COVID and how many arrested today. Further, the President appointed an eight-member special Presidential Task Force for National Deployment and Vaccination Plan for COVID-19 vaccines, headed by the principal advisor to the president Lalith Weeratunga.

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