PHIs Launch Nationwide Work Stoppage After Airport Officer Transferred Over Alleged Whistleblowing

Health Inspectors Suspend Airport Quarantine Duties in Solidarity Protest

The Sri Lanka Public Health Inspectors' Association has launched a coordinated work stoppage across the country, suspending critical airport quarantine duties including dengue inspections, in a show of solidarity following the controversial transfer of a senior Public Health Inspector attached to the Bandaranaike International Airport Health Office.

Transfer Linked to Exposing Alleged Irregularities

Association members contend that the officer in question was transferred as a direct consequence of exposing alleged irregularities within the health office, a move they describe as a punitive action designed to silence whistleblowers within the public health system.

The suspension of duties has raised immediate concerns among health authorities and the public, given the vital role Public Health Inspectors play in safeguarding Sri Lanka's ports of entry against the spread of communicable diseases, including dengue fever.

Wider Implications for Public Health

With quarantine-related inspections now suspended at the country's primary international gateway, officials and health experts have warned of potential risks to public health surveillance, particularly in the context of ongoing efforts to monitor and control vector-borne illnesses entering the island.

• Dengue inspection duties at Bandaranaike International Airport have been halted.
• Quarantine-related functions nationwide have been suspended by association members.
• The protest action is directly linked to the transfer of a senior officer who reportedly flagged internal irregularities.

Association Demands Reversal of Transfer

The Public Health Inspectors' Association has called on relevant authorities to immediately reverse the transfer order, insisting that officers who bring irregularities to light must be protected rather than penalised. The association has framed the issue as one of fundamental workplace justice and the integrity of Sri Lanka's public health infrastructure.

As of the time of reporting, authorities had yet to issue a formal response to the association's demands, and it remained unclear how long the work stoppage would continue if their calls went unaddressed.