Strategic Management of COVID 19 Pandemic; Response and Preparedness in Sri Lanka

Serious pandemic of COVID -19 a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus 2, which was first discovered in December 2019 in the city of Wuhan. This highly infective SARS-CoV-2 virus is spreading from person to person through close contact, and the common symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath while muscle pains, loss of smell and taste, diarrhea, abdominal pain and throat ache are other symptoms, which have frequently recorded. This serious pandemic of COVID -19 has threatening lives of people and claimed 682,421,707 patients and 6,819,238 deaths worldwide to date of 19^th March 2023. The first COVID-19 case in Sri Lanka on 27^th January 2020, who was a 44 year old female tourist from Hubei Province China, and the first local case was reported on 11th of March 2020, who was a travel guide.

Aim of this article is to describe the effectiveness of COVID-19 response and preparedness especially on patient care management. A descriptive study was conducted through Key Informant Interviews, data gathering through desk review of records and reports published. Multi strategic approach that was used in the Sri Lankan health sector to combat COVID – 19 pandemic. Strategies done were; system development (curative and preventive services), infrastructure development and improvement of facilities, staff wellbeing and protection, continuation of normal patient care services, intersectoral coordination and collaboration, special projects in relation to COVID – 19 pandemic, leadership and governance, supervision and monitoring, and public / community empowerment. These strategies has reflected in managing COVID – 19 pandemic and similar strategies with modification can be implemented in future pandemic situations. Further, it is recommended to do in-depth studies to understand the interventions done in specific areas, effectiveness of interventions, and gaps of intervention done and to mitigate the gaps for better response system in order to build a resilient health system.