News
Health experts’ decision on jab mix to overcome AZ shortage expected in two weeks – Pavithra
By Saman Indrajith
Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi told Parliament yesterday that experiments were being conducted by a team of Lankan experts to use Pfizer vaccines as the second dose for those who had been given the first jab of AstraZeneca vaccine.
Wanniarachchi said that in several countries those who received the first dose of AstraZeneca vaccine had been given Pfizer booster shots. The results were encouraging, she added. The team of experts was expected to submit its findings within the next two weeks and those findings would then be referred to the National Advisory Committee on Communicable Diseases for further recommendations.
Responding to a series of questions raised by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa on the prevailing situation with regard to the national inoculation drive, the Health Minister said there were 582,000 persons who had received the first dose of AstraZeneca. The government was trying to obtain the second dose of the vaccine for them using its diplomatic channels. In addition in the coming days the country would receive 264,000 doses of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine under COVAX.
The Minister said that there was a serious delay in obtaining AstraZeneca vaccines, produced in India, as the producer had suspended export. Several other countries were facing the same problem, she said, adding that 925,242 persons had been given the first dose of AstraZeneca vaccine.
The first recommendation was that those who received the first jab of AstraZeneca should get their second dose after four weeks. However, on the basis of findings of scientific experiments in April this year, it was recommended that the second dose should be delayed for 12 weeks to get immunity against the virus. As per the most recent findings, those who got the first jab had optimum immunity for 16 weeks.
The Minister said that the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines received from India, and vaccines received under the COVAX facility and vaccines purchased from the Serum Institute of India had been given to the health workers of the government and private hospitals, front-row officials including the members of police, tri-forces and the Civil Defence force, employees in vulnerable places such as ports, airport and Courts, people above the age of 30 in the Western province, and the Matara District and employees at Norochcholai Power Plant, Parliament staff, MPs and religious leaders.
News
Cabinet aporives recruitment of Nursing Instructors for Nursing Schools under the Ministry of Health and Mass Media on Contract Basis
There are 17 nursing schools under the Ministry of Health and Mass Media including the postgraduate primary nursing school.
There are 142 vacancies in the posts of Grade I / Special Grade Nursing Officer (Education) as on 31.03.2026 in those schools while 24 officers are to be promoted to the special grade on 31.12.2025 owing to the vacancies existing in the post of Special
Grade Nursing Officer (Education). Therefore, the number of vacancies is to be 166.
In addition, there are 24 vacancies in the post of Special Grade Nursing Officer (Education).
Although at present action has been taken to upgrade the nursing schools to nursing colleges and upgrade the nursing diploma course to nursing degree course, no action has been taken so far to carry out recruitment for the training relevant to the appointment for the post of Grade I / Special Grade Nursing Officer (Education).
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Health and Mass Media to recruit retired nursing instructors and nursing instructors who served in the nursing schools belonging to the three armed forces and are retired or have resigned legitimately from service to the post of Grade I / Special Grade Nursing Officer (Education) on contract basis.
Latest News
Signing agreement for the establishment of BIMSTEC Technology Transfer Facility in Sri Lanka
It has been decided to establish a BIMSTEC technology transfer facility in Sri Lanka by entering into a Host Country Agreement at the second leaders’ summit of BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal
Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) held in New Delhi, India, in 2008, with the objective of enhancing regional cooperation.
The relevant cooperation agreement was signed by the member countries at the 5th BIMSTEC summit on 30-03-2022 in Colombo.
The prime objective of this technology transfer facility is to provide technology, capacity building, and management of intellectual property for the micro, small, and medium-scale
enterprises of the BIMSTEC member countries.
According to the cooperation agreement, an agreement should be entered into between Sri Lanka, as the host country, and BIMSTEC Secretariat for formalizing the legal status, privileges, and immunities of the technology transfer facility.
The drafted agreement has received the relevant institutional approval and legal clearance.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Science and Technology to sign the proposed agreement.
News
The cabinet approves agreement on mutual legal cooperation in criminal matters between the Republic of Sri Lanka and the Republic of Korea
Approval has been granted at the cabinet meeting held on 11-12-2023 to sign an agreement between the Republic of Korea and the Government of Sri Lanka regarding mutual cooperation
in criminal matters.
However, according to the aforementioned approval, the relevant agreement could not be signed between both parties.
Through this agreement, opportunities will be provided
for mutual assistance to other countries in handing over judicial documents and collecting evidence for the use of criminal case matters.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution provided by the Minister of Justice and National Integration to sign an agreement between the Republic of Korea and the Government of Sri Lanka to cooperate in criminal matters.
Cabinet aporives recruitment of Nursing Instructors for Nursing Schools under the Ministry of Health and Mass Media on Contract Basis
Signing agreement for the establishment of BIMSTEC Technology Transfer Facility in Sri Lanka
The cabinet approves agreement on mutual legal cooperation in criminal matters between the Republic of Sri Lanka and the Republic of Korea
Misbah-ul-Haq resigns as Pakistan selector after Test squad upheaval
Amendment of the Quarantine and Prevention of Diseases Ordinance No. 3 of 1897
Cabinet approves donation of USD One Million to the Government of Nepal
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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