An article from the World Socialist Web Site discusses a worsening health crisis in Sri Lanka, characterized by a surge in infectious diseases, including dengue fever, leptospirosis, influenza, and COVID-19. The report highlights a significant increase in dengue cases, with projections exceeding 100,000 by year’s end, marking a substantial rise from previous years.
The article criticizes the current Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna/National People’s Power (JVP/NPP) government for allegedly downplaying the severity of the outbreak and concealing the true figures related to disease spread. It points to the government’s promotion of tourism and relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions as contributing factors to the increased transmission of viruses and bacteria. The piece claims that underfunding of the public health system, coupled with a lack of adequate resources and personnel, has severely hampered the ability to effectively control and treat these diseases.
The report also emphasizes the impact on vulnerable populations, particularly in impoverished rural areas, who lack access to proper sanitation and healthcare. The author suggests that the government’s focus on economic reforms and austerity measures has exacerbated the crisis, leading to a decline in public health infrastructure and an increase in the spread of infectious diseases, and alleges that the JVP/NPP government is concealing the true extent of the disease outbreak.
find the original article here: https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2025/06/14/yhds-j14.html