Moratuwa Municipal Council member Attorne-at-Law Lihini Fernando has proposed a 11-point plan to manage the pandemic at the LG council level and to prevent the public healthcare system from collapsing.

A large number of COVID19 patients across the country are being kept at their places of residence at the moment due to non-availability of hospital beds.

"Unless and Until we start this mechanism at the local level, we are not going to handle this crisis effectively. The government has failed and it is no point reiterating it. I urge sincerely the opposition parliamentarians to step up and take the lead," Fernando said.

Tjhe 11-point action plan proposed by her is as follows,

1. A temporary 350 bed facility in each MOH area should be built (Ex: Moratuwa is divided to two MOH Egoda Uyana & Moratuwa and each MOH Branch should have a 350 bed capacity facility)

2. This facility should have beds, oxygen and ventilators (University students have also built alternatives to ventilators)

3. Identify a school, sports ground to build this temporary facility with the assistance of the local council

4. Obtain the assistance of Doctors, Nurses, Mid-Wives, Health Workers, Medical Students, Health professionals to work in these temporary facilities

5. These temporary facilities can be built by the Local Councils with council approval together with the Council Health Committee.

6. Develop a Budget for each temporary 350 facility and government to disperse funds centrally

7. Financial assistance also to be obtained via Local Council Funds and volunteer organizations such as Lions Club, Rotary Club to assist

8. Food for these facilities can be via area volunteers, samurdhi officials, pradeshiya Sabha, Grama Samithi, Charity Organizations.

9. Three Local Council Vehicles to be converted to temporary ambulances as 1990 is unable to cope with the ever-rising patient demand

10. Critical Patients to be transferred immediately to relevant hospitals

11. Leadership for this initiative to be taken by the Head of the Development Committee (Parliamentary MP), together with the Opposition Representatives & Local Council Mayor, Urban Council Chairman