Top medical professional resigns from COVID Prevention Technical Committee

Senior Consultant Physician attached to the Infectious Diseases Hospital (IDH) Dr. Ananda Wijewickrama has resigned from the COVID Prevention Technical Committee of the Director General of Health Services.

Dr. Wijewickrama is said to have resigned due to not being able to accept certain decisions taken by several makeshift and unofficial committees on several occasions, disregarding the expert committee recommendations.

The matter was also taken up at the post-Cabinet meeting media briefing yesterday.

When asked why Dr. Wijewickrama must have stepped down from the said committee, the Cabinet Co-Spokesman and Plantation Industries Minister Dr. Ramesh Pathirana said he was unaware of the reasons.

However, the Minister commended the service extended by Dr. Wijewickrama for his immense contribution to the country’s healthcare sector efforts in the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the meantime, Health Services Director General Dr. Asela Gunawardena said that they have humbly requested Dr. Wijewickrama to reconsider his decision only on the grounds of innocent lives of the people. “We have accepted his resignation at the moment considering his personal views. But we have requested Dr. Wijewickrama to reconsider his decision,” he told journalists.

The Director General said Dr. Wijewickrama is an epidemiologist expert, whose advice had been a great strength in steering the healthcare sector since the outbreak of COVID-19, insisting that his service to the country in this juncture is imperative. 

Previously, top immunologist Prof. Neelika Malavige from the Sri Jayewardenepura University and community physician Prof. A. Pathmeswaran attached to the Colombo North (Ragama) Medical Faculty had also resigned from the independent vaccine advisory expert committee of the drug regulator. 

Health experts had recently shown displeasure over certain decisions taken over the vaccination program and COVID prevention being carried out against the recommendations of the Technical Committee in an unscientific manner. 

Medical professionals had also criticised the decision to provide the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to individuals in the age group of 20 to 30 in the Hambantota District.

Many groups claimed that the corrupt political system has let professionals and the country down, disregarding the expert and scientific advice.