India’s Policy Response to China’s Investment and Aid to Nepal, Sri Lanka and Maldives: Challenges and Prospects

Abstract The Covid-19 pandemic has demanded governments to respond through policy measures on health systems, restriction of community mobility, and economic recovery. Policy measures on mobility included international and local travel restrictions, closure of schools and workplaces, work from home, cancellation or restriction of public gatherings, close of public transport, and stay at home orders. Sri Lanka too has embraced several policy measures restricting community mobility to curtail the outbreak. This paper analyzes the trend of stringency of Covid-19 mobility restriction policy response by the Government of Sri Lanka concerning its epidemiological trend, and with the same patterns observed in selected countries of the world. The Government Response Stringency Index (GRSI), a composite indicator developed by the Oxford Government Response Tracker (OxCGRT) group consisting of nine indicators based on publicly available data was used to track the stringency of policy measures related to mobility restrictions in Sri Lanka and the selected other countries. Besides, the daily number of Covid-19 cases in the same countries was analyzed. The results show that Sri Lanka was able to achieve 100% in the GRSI at the early stages of the outbreak, and most clusters it faced were curtailed under considerable high GRSI levels. GRSI values dropped to 26.85% just before the onset of the largest ever Minuwangoda Cluster, after which it was raised to 50%. Comparing GRSI values and epidemiological pattern of Sri Lanka with three purposefully selected blocks of countries showed that its stringency to be comparatively lower than most of the countries studied, as per the end of the study period. It could be seen that the current GRSI values about the policy measures adopted by the government of Sri Lanka are suboptimal, compared to the level of risk based on the case trend that the country is exposed to, as of 30th November 2020. These findings provide evidence towards the implementation of more stringent mobility control measures on an urgent basis, at least until the case number starts to fall.

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Abstract #604: Detection of Cardiovascular Risk Factors by Anthropometric Measures in Adults Living in an Urban Setting in Sri Lanka

Endocrine Practice ◽

10.1016/s1530-891x(20)42668-0 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 21 ◽

pp. 114-115

Author(s):

Kavinga Gunawardane ◽

Noel Somasundaram ◽

Neil Thalagala ◽

Pubudu Chulasiri ◽

Sudath Fernando

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Cardiovascular Risk ◽

Sri Lanka ◽

Cardiovascular Risk Factors ◽

Urban Setting ◽

Anthropometric Measures

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Prevalence of Suicidal Ideation in Sri Lanka

Crisis ◽

10.1027/0227-5910/a000010 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 31 (1) ◽

pp. 30-35 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Sudath Samaraweera ◽

Athula Sumathipala ◽

Sisira Siribaddana ◽

S. Sivayogan ◽

Dinesh Bhugra

Keyword(s):

Suicidal Ideation ◽

Sri Lanka ◽

General Population ◽

Suicide Attempts ◽

National Average ◽

The West ◽

Suicide Methods ◽

Suicide Rates ◽

Completed Suicide ◽

The World

Background: Suicidal ideation can often lead to suicide attempts and completed suicide. Studies have shown that Sri Lanka has one of the highest rates of suicide in the world but so far no studies have looked at prevalence of suicidal ideation in a general population in Sri Lanka. Aims: We wanted to determine the prevalence of suicidal ideation by randomly selecting six Divisional Secretariats (Dss) out of 17 in one district. This district is known to have higher than national average rates of suicide. Methods: 808 participants were interviewed using Sinhala versions of GHQ-30 and Beck’s Scale for Suicidal Ideation. Of these, 387 (48%) were males, and 421 (52%) were female. Results: On Beck’s Scale for Suicidal Ideation, 29 individuals (4%) had active suicidal ideation and 23 (3%) had passive suicidal ideation. The active suicidal ideators were young, physically ill and had higher levels of helplessness and hopelessness. Conclusions: The prevalence of suicidal ideation in Sri Lanka is lower than reported from the West and yet suicide rates are higher. Further work must explore cultural and religious factors.

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Suicide on the Indian Subcontinent

Crisis ◽

10.1027//0227-5910.23.3.104 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 23 (3) ◽

pp. 104-107 ◽

Cited By ~ 36

Author(s):

Murad M. Khan

Keyword(s):

Sri Lanka ◽

Mental Health Professionals ◽

Indian Subcontinent ◽

Interpersonal Relationship ◽

Public Health Problem ◽

Elderly Subjects ◽

Important Public Health Problem ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Formidable Challenge ◽

Causative Factors

Summary: The Indian subcontinent comprises eight countries (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Bhutan, and the Maldives) and a collective population of more than 1.3 billion people. 10% of the world's suicides (more than 100,000 people) take place in just three of these countries, viz. India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. There is very little information on suicides from the other four countries. Some differences from suicides in Western countries include the high use of organophosphate insecticides, larger numbers of married women, fewer elderly subjects, and interpersonal relationship problems and life events as important causative factors. There is need for more and better information regarding suicide in the countries of the Indian subcontinent. In particular, studies must address culture-specific risk factors associated with suicide in these countries. The prevention of this important public health problem in an area of the world with myriad socio-economic problems, meager resources, and stigmatization of mental illness poses a formidable challenge to mental health professionals, policy makers, and governments of these countries.

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