There is no chance for a second Coronavirus wave - Defence Secretary
June 11, 2020Defence Secretary Maj. Gen. (Retd) Kamal Gunaratne, commending the dedication of security forces, Police and health sector officials in controlling Coronavirus outbreak, expressed hopes that there would not be a second wave of the pandemic in the country.
“Thanks for the untiring commitment of our Security Forces, Police and health officials, not a single coronavirus infected patient has been reported from the community during past 40 days. Under the leadership of Army Commander Lt.Gen. Shavendra Silva, we have used an effective mechanism to control the virus, and our soldiers together with Police and health officials, will continue to apply the same mechanism in the future. Therefore, I hope there would not be a second wave of the pandemic,” Maj. Gen. Gunaratne said addressing the media during his visit to Defence Headquarters at Battaramulla on Wednesday (10).
He said even if there would be a threat of a second wave, military, the Police and healthcare workers would effectively face the situation.
Defence Secretary made an official visit to Army Headquarters at Battaramulla to examine an array of medical products invented by the Sri Lanka Army. The new innovations made by the Research and Development Branch (RDB) of the Army and the Directorate of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (DEME) on directives of the Commander of the Army Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva are meant to control the spread of COVID-19.
Those 29 medically-innovated equipment, classified under three categories, Ultraviolet C (Project), Medical Project (Ventilators) and Disinfection Equipment (Project) had been tested by the Certificate of Energy & Environmental Services, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Medical Research Institute and the Department of Bacteriology in the Ministry of Health, UK's Medicines and Health Care Products Regulatory Agency and the Society for Health Research and Innovation, Sri Lanka before they were recommended for use.
Having observed the equipment, invented under supervision of Director General RDB Brig. Prasad Akuranthilake and the Director DEME Brig. Indu Samarakoon, Defence Secretary symbolically handed over them to Chief Signal Officer Maj. Gen. Adeepa Thilakaratne, Director Supply and Transport Brig. Hirosha Wanigasekera and Director Army Medical Services Brig. K. P. N Pathirana.
Maj. Gen. Gunaratne interacted with the inventors and appreciated their initiative on taking interest in promoting innovations timely required.
