Post-COVID-19 potentials vs. challenges; foreign policy, economics and health options for Sri Lanka

• Conversation conducted by Suryamithra Vishwa with Dr. Palitha Kohona

The Harmony page of the Daily FT, an initiative to promote integrated knowledge, interspersing the holistic with the rational, encouraging the juxtaposing of introspection with intellectuality to facilitate a genuine thinking process resulting in creation of ideas and initiatives for the betterment of both self and country, looks this week at how the COVID-19 pandemic has been managed in Sri Lanka. We scrutinise Sri Lanka’s success in humility and not arrogance as we witness the immense continuing difficulties faced by neighbouring India and the rest of South Asia in curtailing the coronavirus scourge. 

Thereby in the below discussion we encourage fellow Sri Lankans to look at how we can, in true Buddhistic attitude focus not only in benefitting ourselves but also others in these difficult times. Hence it is a resurgence of both the mind, the body and the willpower that is needed that cuts across many macro sectors, from education, to health and economics to encompass international trade and bilateral relations. 

Thereby, we feature below the thoughts of senior diplomat, Ambassador Dr. Palitha Kohona who has authored several academic papers in the post-COVID context, looking at both challenges and opportunities faced by Sri Lanka as well as Asia.

Dr. Kohona was the Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2006 to 2009 and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in New York from 2009 to 2015. He was elected as the chair of the UN GA sixth committee (legal) in 2013 and served as the Co-Chair of the UN Working Group of Biological Diversity Beyond National Jurisdiction as well as Chair of the UN Committee on Israeli Practices in the Occupied Arab Territories. He headed the UN Treaty section till 2006.

The following discussion with Dr. Kohona sets a base for Sri Lankans to get motivated to surmount the abyss of the current global health crisis and economic downturn to pave in the diversely unique ways they can, within their capacity, the path forward for Sri Lanka so that our rich past heritage and our future are not two separate entities but one. 

Below is the overall centred question put to Dr. Kohona by the Harmony page and his responses are as follows on connected themes: 

Q: In post-COVID-19 policy making, we seem to be heading for an interesting fruit salad where foreign policy, economics and health are cast into the same bowl. Health is seen as the overarching challenge but we seem to overlook our indigenous medicinal heritage, which today gets scant formal recognition and seems to be ignored on the surface in the mainstream fight against COVID-19. Yet through not publicised greatly, traditional immunity boosting curative and illness preventive Lankan specialities such as ‘Kola Kenda’ and coriander are given in quarantine centres managed by Western medicine practicing Lankan doctors. In this backdrop, how can Sri Lanka’s medical-dietary heritage get its due recognition in one of the worst health challenges facing the nation and thereby safeguard the national economy, parallel to promoting revival of multi-dimensional sectors affected by the COVID-19 situation, including tourism, and possibly correcting past mistakes affecting many aspects of national policy?

A: Let me outline step by step how Sri Lanka responded to the COVID-19 pandemic, including by using its traditional medical heritage, and what opportunities it opened up for itself in the process. For a small developing country, recently relegated from the league of middle income countries along with two others, Sri Lanka has done brilliantly in managing the COVID-19 crisis. We have had only 11 deaths since 2 June in a population of approximately 21 million and around 2,752 (mostly returnees from overseas) confirmed cases of which 2,064 have recovered and returned to their homes. These figures would have made certain Western leaders do cartwheels of joy.

But, disappointingly, there have been no glowing tributes in the mainstream international media about the impressive success achieved by this small country. Compare this with the screaming recent headline in a UK journal about the UK. “The UK’s Response to COVID-19 Has Been World-Class”. This is indeed world-class propaganda. Over 45,554 deaths so far and 297,000 confirmed cases, and their journals still can publish a headline like this without blushing!

While the outstanding achievement of Sri Lankan health professionals, doctors, nurses, hospital staff and PHIs, the security personnel, including the police and the calculated and our calibrated policy making, gets hardly a mention, instead a country that let 1000s of its aged die in aged care facilities is feted. 

The world should be made more aware of the caring nature of our society. Of the resources that we have allocated to our state-funded universal healthcare system. This is a golden opportunity that we should not miss like the other opportunities in the recent past. With the additional goodwill generated, it could be expected that once international travel revives, we will be able to attract the initial waves of tourists. The desperately scared global traveller is more likely to seek solace in a sun swept island which successfully managed the COVID-19 pandemic

Sri Lanka’s approach

 We tightly restricted the movement of people, including by deploying the security forces and by mobilising the media, especially the electronic media, to convey a strong warning. All phone calls were preceded by a government sponsored warning reminiscent of the messages that were conveyed when the AIDS epidemic first raised its menacing head. Those infected with the coronavirus or had been in contact with infected persons were quarantined. We placed community good ahead of individual liberties, at least temporarily. The results are there for all to see. While the major countries of the developed world are reeling, and even developing countries such as India and Brazil seeing the continued spread of the pandemic to date, Sri Lanka is enjoying a reprieve. However, we are also suffering with all the rest of the world from an unprecedented economic down turn. 

 Why Sri Lanka needs to market its success 

What we have achieved is not mean or insignificant. We need to learn to project our achievements to the world better to benefit from them and above all to motivate fellow Sri Lankans to come up with new ideas that compliment that success and help to surmount general challenges, whether pre or post COVID. It is important that we do not allow our success with COVID-19 to slip through our fingers. We need to better project our success to the world and proactively market the reasons for it. Not in the crass way our politicians promote themselves but with greater sensitivity and sophistication. 

What Sri Lanka has to offer

 The world should be made more aware of the caring nature of our society. Of the resources that we have allocated to our state-funded universal healthcare system. This is a golden opportunity that we should not miss like the other opportunities in the recent past. With the additional goodwill generated, it could be expected that once international travel revives, we will be able to attract the initial waves of tourists. The desperately scared global traveller is more likely to seek solace in a sun swept island which successfully managed the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Young Sri Lankans can be encouraged to come up with new ideas in the realm of tourism, keeping also in mind our heritage knowledge, thus maximising innovation. The State could rise to the occasion to support such endeavours. Our success as well as the combined efforts of all Sri Lankans will have a subliminal impact on global decision makers determining whether to direct inward investments to Sri Lanka or not. 

With our handling of the coronavirus situation prudently, this country has the great potential of being seen as a safe place for international managers and their families to live. The possible contribution made to our success by our indigenous medicine in boosting the immunity of the population at large can be highlighted in many ways. Our traditional medicine is undergoing a noticeable boost, especially in the West. Today it is a multi-billion dollar business in New York alone. All these will need the commitment and the marshalling of resources of a range of actors, including the diplomatic service, the tourism ministry, the EDB and BOI.

There is palpable disenchantment with the policy responses and the mercantilist health services in much of the developed West. The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly exacerbated sub surface feelings of disaffection. This is an opportunity for Sri Lanka. Our general attitude to life, our lifestyle, our dietary habits and religious practices have begun to be noticed. Most Lankans instinctively turn to traditional medications when they fall ill. Kotthamalli and sudu luunu are never too far in our larder. It has been reported that patients in quarantine were regularly given coriander drinks and kola kenda (herbal soup). It may have been this magic potion that contributed to keeping our infection and death rates low. An opportunity for further publicity in this regard emerges for marketing these traditional therapies to the world. We do not habitually kiss or hug when greeting someone or shake hands. These are Western practices. Our practice is to bring the palms together and bow. Perhaps, this may also have contributed to keeping the transmission rate low. 

What can Sri Lanka offer?

Recently the Economist candidly asked why the pandemic has spared the Buddhist countries of South East Asia while the rest of the world was being devastated.

“Why has the pandemic spared the Buddhist parts of South-East Asia?” Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam have had only tiny outbreaks despite being close to China and Indonesia and India the last of which is reeling at the moment. (Again one cannot help but notice that the Economist missed out on Sri Lanka which is the seller performer). 

While to pinpoint the exact reasons may take considerable controlled study, many anecdotal factors come to mind. The sense of propriety which makes Lankans always maintain a respectful distance from each other, a sense of inner strength and control which traditional religious practices, particularly the Buddhist culture, inculcate and the general sense of hygiene and cleanliness which is evident may also have contributed. Post-COVID-19 Sri Lanka could highlight these aspects and will certainly be selling points to tourists and foreign investors. In a world rapidly becoming inaccessible due to the rampant virus, Sri Lanka would be that inviting haven in the sun.  

Thoughts for the future

COVID-19 provided many dynamic economies the opportunity to progress to the next level of human, in particular economic, development. Many developed countries either due to visionary leadership or simply due to the force of circumstance, adopted distant learning/teaching for their schools and universities, thereby keeping their young actively engaged in pursuing education while COVID-19 forced the closure of educational institutions. In general work life, many adopted off site commitment to their office tasks, working from home. 

Although these concepts had been experimented with in the past, including at the UN as a cost saving and family friendly innovation, they were adopted with enthusiasm after the COVID-19 related enforced restrictions. It is likely that these innovations will continue to be refined by these countries and they will surge ahead in the economic race. 

The work from home approach adopted by certain countries helped to reduce the urban traffic congestion considerably, improve the air quality in cities and according to anecdotal reports, the family life of individuals. Judging by the return of chaotic traffic to our cities in Sri Lanka with the easing of restrictions, the country will regret missing out on this fabulous opportunity handed to us by COVID-19

In Asia, countries such as Singapore, China, Japan and Korea embraced these novel approaches with keenness. Sri Lanka could have embraced this opportunity which was inadvertently provided by the devastating virus. Some schools in urban centres such as Colombo, Kandy and Jaffna employed distant learning/teaching effectively but despite the opportunity available, it was not widely pursued elsewhere thereby exacerbating the existing gap between rural and urban schools. Here the practical reality of technology not being available in all the regions of the country equally does surface, showing us that we need to rectify this. 

The work from home approach adopted by certain countries helped to reduce the urban traffic congestion considerably, improve the air quality in cities and according to anecdotal reports, the family life of individuals. Judging by the return of chaotic traffic to our cities in Sri Lanka with the easing of restrictions, the country will regret missing out on this fabulous opportunity handed to us by COVID-19. 

While some doctors adapted themselves to the opportunities provided by telemedicine, most opted to stay with the old system with the crowded clinics, long waiting lines and a system that is outdated. Once our own situation stabilises, clear opportunities will arise to offer the services of our experienced medical personnel to the United Nations and the world, many parts of which are crying for such services. Already, Cuba and China are reaping tons of goodwill doing this. 

Sri Lanka – meaning all Sri Lankans, especially the youth, should look seriously at these possibilities and all the innovative ideas that could be brought to fruition to help ourselves and others in a range of spheres, encouraged to surface. With such a post-COVID resurgence in this land, policy makers will be forced to rise to this national renaissance so that history will remember how we made the best of a global challenge.