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Vaccine decision tomorrow: Committee to consider vaccination plan 

03 Jan 2021

A decision on the type of Covid-19 vaccine that would be utilised by Sri Lanka and when it would be brought down would be taken tomorrow (4) after considering the national vaccination plan to be submitted by the Health Ministry.  Covid-19 Vaccine Committee Chairman and Senior Advisor to the President Lalith Weeratunga told The Sunday Morning that the National Vaccination Plan formulated by the Health Ministry would be submitted to the Committee tomorrow (4) and according to the plan, future steps would be decided.  However, a few weeks ago, State Minister of Production, Supply, and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals Prof. Channa Jayasumana hinted that the Government would most probably go ahead with the Russian vaccine Sputnik V and it would be available to the state sector even before the free quota of vaccines promised by the World Health Organisation (WHO).   He told The Sunday Morning that the Russian Government is happy to give the vaccine to Sri Lanka on a government-to-government basis and that it would be brought down to the country by the State Pharmaceutical Corporation (SPC).  “We are also looking for vaccines to bring down to the country for the private sector. Currently, the focus is on Moderna, Chinese vaccines, and Pfizer vaccine. Depending on the availability, price, and maintenance of storage temperature and other facilities, we will decide on what vaccine we can bring down as early as possible. It seems the Pfizer one is a bit difficult due to the difficulty of maintaining cold storage,” Prof. Jayasumana said.  In the meantime, State Minister of Primary Healthcare, Epidemics, and Covid Disease Control Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle told The Sunday Morning that the Covid-19 vaccines, which would be registered with the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA), would be permitted to be brought down to the country early next year.  It is learnt that the country at present does not have enough infrastructure facilities to store the new vaccines like the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine that was found to be 90% effective, as it needs to be refrigerated at -70 to -80℃. However, earlier, it was stated that the Government is eyeing the vaccine developed by the University of Cambridge, as it did not need low temperatures for storage.  According to Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi, Sri Lanka would receive 4.2 million vaccine doses under the WHO’s COVAX programme.  Meanwhile, Weeratunga stressed that the committee is focusing on all available vaccines and the ones that have been listed by the WHO.   “At present, lots of networking is being done. We will probably appoint a presidential task force. The ministers are not in it per se but they are connected. We are working with all ministries, the WHO, and embassies that are willing to help,” he added.  However, he said no exact date has been decided as yet to import the Covid-19 vaccine to Sri Lanka.   


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