The recent dengue epidemic in Sri Lanka has exposed the dire state of the country's public health system, which has been systematically dismantled over decades under the influence of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). This crisis, affecting tens of thousands of people, is a stark reminder of the consequences of prioritizing austerity measures over healthcare infrastructure. The outbreak has overwhelmed hospitals, with daily admissions reaching alarming levels, and the situation is further exacerbated by the government's reluctance to declare an epidemic, hindering the implementation of necessary emergency measures.
One of the critical issues highlighted by the epidemic is the severe shortage of medical staff and resources. Sri Lanka's public health institutions are facing a dire shortage of hospital attendants and nurses, with a deficit of 14,000 attendants and 23,000 nurses. This shortage is contributing to the breakdown of essential services, as evidenced by the Kandy National Hospital's single MRI machine, which forces patients to wait over a year for scans, often resulting in fatal outcomes. The situation is particularly dire in dengue wards, where patients are forced to lie on floors due to overcrowding, and nurses are assigned additional duties beyond their capacity, leading to psychological exhaustion.
The government's response to the epidemic has been characterized by a militarized and punitive approach, treating workers and the poor as criminals rather than victims. The Health Minister's statement about legal action against those who fail to eliminate mosquito breeding sites reflects this mindset. However, this approach has proven ineffective in combating the epidemic, as the number of dengue cases continues to rise.
The root cause of the epidemic lies in the systematic destruction of Sri Lanka's public health system, which has been undermined by decades of austerity measures imposed by the IMF. The JVP/NPP government's commitment to a primary budget surplus and annual debt repayments of 5 billion dollars has led to cuts in health spending, leaving local government institutions responsible for sanitation and drainage without adequate funding. This has resulted in blocked drains, garbage dumps, and stagnant water, creating ideal breeding grounds for dengue mosquitoes.
The gap between official statistics and the reality on the ground is a result of a deliberate policy of concealment, similar to the approach taken during the COVID-19 pandemic. The true scale of the disaster may be far more severe than reported, as 75-80% of infected individuals are asymptomatic but still capable of transmitting the disease. This highlights the need for a comprehensive and transparent approach to addressing the epidemic.
In conclusion, the dengue epidemic in Sri Lanka is a social crime that has been produced by the systematic destruction of the public health system and the decades-long assault on the universal right to free healthcare. To address this crisis, workers must establish independent action committees to fight for the resources needed to rebuild public health. This includes placing major banks, corporations, and private hospitals under democratic workers' control, rejecting foreign debt repayments, and establishing a workers' and peasants' government based on socialist policies. Only through such measures can Sri Lanka effectively combat the epidemic and ensure the well-being of its citizens.
