Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle has been appointed the State Minister of Primary Health Services, Infectious Disease and COVID19 Control and Prevention.

Fernandopulle has been appointed to this new position in addition to her current post as the State Minister of Prison Reforms. The appointment, coincidentally, was made a day after a major riot broke out at the Mahara prison.

However, it is still not clear how the responsibilities over COVID19-related affairs will be shared between Fernandopulle and Pavithra Wanniarachchi, the Cabinet Minister of Health. Wanniarachchi's conduct as the Health Minister has come under criticism from some quarters epsecially after she threw "blessed water" into a river to save the country from the pandemic.

Fernandopulle takes up her new position as Sri Lanka is battling desperately to conrol the second wave of COVID19 which has spread to many parts of the country.

Fernandopulle is a Community Physician by profession and has vast experience in the field of community health.