The devastating dengue epidemic in Sri Lanka, which has infected tens of thousands, is a stark reminder of the dire consequences of austerity measures and the collapse of the country's public health system. This crisis, unfolding in 2026, exposes the failures of successive governments and their adherence to IMF-imposed policies.
The Dengue Crisis
As of July 11, the official dengue case count exceeded 67,200, with a death toll of 47. The National Dengue Control Unit reports a significant increase in daily hospital admissions, with some districts already surpassing their capacity. The strain on healthcare infrastructure is evident, with patients forced to lie in corridors and even on stairways due to a lack of beds.
The situation is particularly dire for those suffering from dengue haemorrhagic fever, as hospitals struggle to provide adequate care. A doctor at Peradeniya Teaching Hospital describes the dire shortage of nurses and the psychological toll on staff, with some even contracting dengue themselves.
The Impact on Education
Universities and schools have emerged as major sites of dengue transmission. The Health Ministry has taken the drastic step of closing universities, including the University of the Visual and Performing Arts and the University of Moratuwa, where a student died during a previous outbreak. These closures highlight the extent to which the epidemic has disrupted not only healthcare but also education.
A Failing Healthcare System
The Sri Lanka Medical Association warns that the spread of the DENV-2 strain could lead to a rapid rise in deaths if hospitals become overwhelmed. This is a stark reminder of the fragile state of the healthcare system, which is struggling with staff shortages, outdated equipment, and a lack of essential medicines.
Community health services, crucial for dengue prevention, are also in crisis, with a significant shortfall in public health inspectors. The exodus of medical staff, including nearly 10% of the country's doctors in the past two years, further exacerbates the situation.
Austerity and Its Consequences
The epidemic is a direct result of the systematic destruction of Sri Lanka's public health system. Successive governments, under the influence of the IMF, have pursued austerity measures that have eroded the universal right to free healthcare. The current JVP/NPP government, despite promising to renegotiate IMF terms, has continued to enforce austerity, cutting health spending and committing to substantial debt repayments.
Local government institutions responsible for sanitation and garbage collection have been starved of funds, creating ideal breeding grounds for dengue mosquitoes. Recent inspections have identified schools as major transmission sites, a direct consequence of staffing shortages caused by funding cuts.
A Social Crime
The epidemic is a social crime, as the capitalist ruling class prioritizes corporate profits over human lives. While billions are handed to major corporations, essential services like healthcare suffer. The trade unions, which claim to represent health workers, support the IMF program and suppress worker struggles, further contributing to the crisis.
The Socialist Equality Party calls for workers to establish independent action committees to fight for the resources needed to rebuild public health. This political struggle aims to place major banks, corporations, and private hospitals under democratic workers' control, reject foreign debt repayments, and establish a workers' and peasants' government committed to socialist policies.
The dengue epidemic is a tragic example of the human cost of neoliberal policies, and it is a call to action for a fundamental restructuring of society to prioritize the well-being of its people.
