COVID potion in Sri Lanka puts a minister, who publicly drank it, in the hospital. This made a self-styled Sri Lankan holy man's supposed healing potion turn sour. 

Last month, thousands defied public gathering restrictions to swamp a village in central Sri Lanka to get Dhammika Bandara's COVID potion.

"Herbal remedies are widely available in Sri Lanka, and at least 15,000 people turned up at the man's home over four days of sales in December, a local official said," the report explained.

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Piyal Nishantha de Silva, Minister of Women and Child Welfare, was among many politicians who ingested the concoction and drank the COVID potion. Still, on Tuesday, parliamentary officials said he had tested positive for coronavirus since then and had taken it to a treatment center.

Despite taking the COVID potion, the family members of another politician in Sri Lanka, who hailed from Bandara's village, were also infected. The pro-government media gave Bandara widespread attention, alleging that Kali, a Hindu goddess of death and destruction, had revealed the formula to him.

Honey, nutmeg, coriander, and other herbs were used in the COVID potion and were sold for the equivalent of $13 a bottle.

Over four days of sales in December, at least 15,000 people turned up at the man's place, a local official said. The holy businessman, local media reported, had also sold his miracle cure to businesses and temples.

He had given the lawmakers and ministers a sample, too. According to the DPA news agency, Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi also took the potion, even though her ministry had not approved it as a medication. The opposition legislators blamed her for spreading false hope and urging people to en masse the holy man.

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The government has been scrambling to distance itself from Bandara, whose preparation was accepted by the official indigenous medicine unit as a food supplement.

"Although some parliamentarians took it, the government does not endorse it," said Keheliya Rambukwella, minister of mass media.

With the number of cases and deaths going from 3,300 and 13 in early October to 53,750 infections and 270 dead now, Sri Lanka is in the grip of a coronavirus surge.

The Sri Lanka government has nonetheless made an effort to assist its people in the scientific development, COVID-19 Emergency Response. Health Systems Preparedness Project supports the government's 'pandemic management strategy of test, track, isolate and treat 'by providing a steady supply of critical medical necessities, testing kits, and personal protective equipment (PPE), supporting touch monitoring efforts, and maintaining 32 quarantine centers. It is also working to improve the health system so that health crises can be handled correctly in the future.

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Activities to improve the National Emergency Operation Unit and its island-wide network were also initiated. Selected hospitals are now being established as medical centers for present and future pandemic situations for better preparedness, and the current laboratory infrastructure is being reinforced. The project also aims to establish infection prevention and surveillance systems for the country and facilitates epidemiological research on transmission dynamics and community response and actions. This research will underpin long-term pandemic management plans and strategies.