Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena has decided to hit back at the media campaign being carried out against him by the state and private media by pointing out shortcomings at the Ministry. A member of the Minster’s private staff the Health Minister has found that the media operation is being managed by an official from the President’s Media Unit.

The Minister has asked the Media Consultant of the Health Ministry, Newton Gunaratne to inquire into the matter and give him a report on the steps to be taken.

The Health Minister had a few days back summoned several senior officials at government ministries to discuss about the increase in dengue cases. It had been revealed during the meeting that there had been many short comings in various state institutions in addressing the issue of dengue.

Sirisena after gathering all these information has decided to convene a special press conference to reveal all these details about the increase and spread of dengue.

The media campaign against Sirisena had commenced after he had told several senior staff at the SLFP headquarters that it should be a senior party member who would be appointed as Prime Minister if Premier D.M. Jayaratne was to be replaced.

Sirisena had said that he and many other senior SLFP ministers would publicly protest if there is any move to appoint Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa as Prime Minister.