Frontline Health Workers of the Pandemic; Public Health Inspectors and Midwives Felicitated by Security Forces Commander in Jaffna

An indispensable section of the frontline workers of the COVID 19 pandemic; Public Health Inspectors (PHI) and Midwives who have faced unprecedented workload in overstretched health facilities and working in a stressful and frightening work environment, under-protected, overworked and vulnerable to infection came into appreciation for their untiring service in Jaffna today.

In a solemn ceremony organized by Security Forces Headquarters Jaffna, held under strict health protocols at the 512 Brigade, the Commander Security Forces Jaffna, Major General Jagath Kodituwakku RWP RSP ndu, acknowledging the relentless service of the men and women present, handed over food vouchers worth Rs. 5000.00 and Rs 3000.00 for 84 PHI’s and 276 Midwives respectively. However due to restrictions imposed by the situation, only 16 PHI's and 14 midwives received vouchers symbolically. These vouchers provide them essential food items from Cargill’s Food City. Another 1000 dry ration packs worth 1 million rupees were also distributed among underprivileged families to coincide with this event. Two family members received their ration packs from the Security Forces Commander symbolically.

The financial donation worth 2.2 million rupees for this noble cause came from the Chairman of the ‘Thyahie Charitable Trust’ Mr V Thyagendran who promptly came to the fore once again in unhesitant support to fulfill the request made by Major General Jagath Kodituwakku.

Speaking at the felicitation ceremony, Major General Jagath Kodituwakku commended the efforts and thanked all the PHIs and Midwives present for their hard work and dedication during this tumultuous time.

Further, he pledged that the Army, under the guidance of its versatile Commander General Shavendra Silva WWV RWP RSP VSV USP ndc psc, Head, National Operation Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO) and Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), will sacrifice its entire effort and take all necessary measures to support the people of Jaffna to bring back normalcy to the peninsular as it has always done during the past decade.

Despite all the efforts taken by the government and particularly the Army, COVID 19 cases in Sri Lanka have surged in the recent months. As a result, overstretched healthcare system of the country has left health workers struggling with long working hours, fatigue, and extreme psychological stress. In spite of all odds against their lives, PHIs and Midwives in Jaffna have taken great strides and withered all storms to keep their community safe.

Other dignitaries present at the event included, Jaffna District Secretary; S Sudarshan, Chief Epidemiologist of the Jaffna District; Dr. Mohan Kumar, Chief Public Health Inspector of the Jaffna District; Mr P Satheesh, Chief Midwife of the Jaffna District, Mrs E Wimaleshwari, Major General Deepal Pussella; Commander 51 Division, Commander 512 Brigade; Brigadier CA Rajapaksa and Brigadier General Staff of the Security Forces Headquarters Jaffna; Brigadier Prasanna Gunaratne.