COLOMBO: Sri Lanka's Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi, who was facing criticism for mismanaging the COVID-19 situation, was replaced in a Cabinet reshuffle by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Monday amid a sharp rise in the number of coronavirus cases and the entire health system coming under severe strain.
Seven Ministers were handed new portfolios in a first Cabinet reshuffle since last year.
Wanniarachchi has been sworn in as the Transport Minister while Keheliya Rambukwella is the new Health Minister.
Wanniarachchi had held the health portfolio since the outbreak of the pandemic in March last year.
The change came as the island continues to record high numbers of infections and deaths with the entire health system coming under severe strain.
Wanniarachchi has come under criticism for mismanaging the Covid situation.
Sri Lanka is witnessing a sharp rise in the number of COVID-19 patients with the doctors warning that medical facilities and morgues in the country are reaching their maximum capacities.
Lanka's government has announced night curfew starting Monday to control a surge in the COVID-19 cases.
The government, however, has rejected repeated calls from doctors' and other health sector associations to announce a full lockdown, because of an ailing economy.
The country has reported 364,968 positive cases so far including 6,096 deaths.
In the Cabinet reshuffle, G L Peiris has been appointed as the new Foreign Minister, replacing Dinesh Gunawardena who has been shifted to the Education Ministry.
Peiris was previously Lanka's foreign minister between 2010 to 2015.
The reshuffle has also seen an additional portfolio to Rajapaksa's nephew Namal, who holds the portfolio of Youth and Sports.
The son of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has been handed the new ministry of development coordination.