Novel Influenza

Novel influenza caused by the AH1N1 virus seems spreading fast in the country. From the time the first patient, a foreign resident who was on a visit here, was detected in Colombo, a few months back, the authorities took every precaution to isolate and treat those who were afflicted with the disease.

Now it has spread wider. Since the disease spreads exponentially the possibility of a swine flu epidemic could not be ruled out unless counter measures are taken immediately. Already patients were found from Colombo, Matara, Kurunegala, Anuradhapura and Kandy. Up to now there have been nearly a dozen deaths and few hundred cases of AH1N1 in the country.

Last week the Provincial authorities in Kandy declared schools closed from today to arrest the spread of the disease and prevent schoolchildren getting affected. Even private tuition classes were requested to suspend their activities.

Other than the media coverage at the time of the first discovery of the disease in Mexico and the subsequent discovery of a patient in Sri Lanka, the incidence of AH1N1 has received not much attention.

The time has come to conduct an extensive public awareness campaign on AH1N1, with the help of the health authorities, schools and community organizations. People should be told of possible preventive measures and what to do in the event of some one discovered with the disease.

There is no need to panic. It is not a fatal disease though certain groups are more vulnerable to it. Best thing to do in case symptoms of the disease - fever, cough, sore throat and nasal congestion - are found is to stay indoors and avoid public places. In other words it is best to impose self-quarantine and seek quick medical attention, if the flu persists. Almost all government hospitals are equipped to treat AH1N1 patients and they have reserved segregated spaces for them. The Health Ministry has made arrangements to get down a sufficient stock of Tami Flu injections necessary to treat patients.

The health authorities, however, should not be complacent for it has been noted for such complacency. The moment an epidemic seems to be on the wane for whatever reason, they rush to make public announcements and claim credit. On the other hand, they have always been late to acknowledge and warn the people of the outbreaks of epidemics and other health related dangers. The way they handled the Dengue epidemic is a case in point. Even in the case of AH1N1 they boasted that Sri Lanka did not have any fatalities unlike other countries. As the situation stands today they were again too early to pronounce total victory.

AH1N1 and devolution of power

Strange as it may seem the latest spread of AH1N1 in Kandy has given rise to a controversy that ranges on devolution of power.

The Provincial authorities, in order to avoid a rapid spread of the disease decided to close schools in the Provincial capital after obtaining the advice of medical experts in the province. The Education Minister and his bureaucrats have felt slighted. They have inquired how the Provincial authorities could do so without informing them and obtaining their permission.

Perhaps they would have forgotten that education and health are both devolved subjects under the 13th Amendments to the Constitution. That means the Provincial authorities are legally entitled to take such a decision.

True, there are certain schools, the so-called National Schools - that do come under the Central Government. But the large majority of schools are under the jurisdiction of the Provincial Council.

The decision was taken last Friday. Obviously they had to announce the decision before schools closed for the day.

What the Minister and his bureaucrats should have done is to find out what happened and discuss with the Provincial authorities without making statements to the media.

It is unfortunate that even after almost two decades there is no clarity on the powers that are entitled to the Provincial Councils and the separation of powers between the Provincial Councils and the Central Government despite lists of devolved power, central power and concurrent power.