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Inoculation drive: Armed forces’ contribution immeasurable; Belittling tremendous achievements regretable – CDS

Published

5 years ago

2021/08/11

Sahan Weerasooriya

Of 2.7mn fully vaccinated, 23 who had comorbidity succumb to Covid-19

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Army Commander, who is also the Chief of Defence Staff General Shavendra Silva, says the overall contribution made by the armed forces in Sri Lanka’s battle against Covid-19 is immeasurable.

In a brief interview with The Island, General Silva explained their contribution to the ongoing countrywide vaccination drive as Director General of Health Services (DGHS) Dr. Asela Gunawardena declared that the survival of the public depended on full vaccination.

Appearing on Derana ‘360’ Monday night, Dr. Gunawardena warned of dire consequences unless the people received both jabs.

Responding to interviewer Sanka Amarjith, Dr. Gunawardena said that of 4,132 Covid-19 deaths, only 23 died after having both vaccines. Of 14 mn who had received vaccines, 2.7 were so far given the second jab, Dr. Gunawardena said, adding that 177 succumbed having received one jab.

State Minister of Production, Supply and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals Prof. Channa Jayasumana told The Island that almost all of them had been over 60 and simultaneously affected by two or more medical conditions.

The CDS said that in addition to Narahenpita Military Hospital where selected groups, including teachers had been inoculated the Army managed countrywide makeshift vaccination facilities in support of health authorities. Gen. Silva regretted that the armed forces role in fighting the epidemic as well as formation of the Covid Task Force had become political issues both in and outside Parliament.

The former Commanding Officer of the much celebrated frontline fighting formation Task Force I /58 Division said that the deployment of the armed forces helped achieve vaccination targets. Gen. Silva emphasized that joint civil-military effort made it possible to inoculate over 14 mn people with 2.7 mn of them receiving both jabs.

Pointing out that vaccine roll-out began on January 29, within 24 hours after Sri Lanka received half a million Covishield (AstraZeneca) doses courtesy India, Gen. Silva said that the military was engaged in the inoculation process from the very beginning. Gen. Silva said that as the country continuously received stocks of AstraZeneca, Sinopharm, Pfizer, Sputnik, Moderna vaccines from different sources, the military gradually stepped up their efforts.

The government brought in the SLAF and the SLN in May and July respectively as the military expanded its role in the vaccination drive. The CDS said that the deployment of the armed forces streamlined the entire inoculation process. SLAF spokesman Wing Commander Dushan Wijesinghe and SLN spokesman Capt. Indika de Silva explained the initial deployment in support of the overall efforts before they undertook inoculation on their own.

Responding to another query, Gen. Silva pointed out that the military lessened the heavy burden on the civilian apparatus tasked with inoculation drive.

Responding to UNP leader and National List MP Ranil Wickremesinghe criticism of the Covid Task Force as well as the accusation that Parliament had been denied control over the operation undertaken by them, Gen. Silva said that the former Prime Minister received the first jab at Narahenpita Military Hospital in Feb. At the time the UNP leader had received first and the second jabs he hadn’t re-entered Parliament. Wickremesinghe re-entered parliament in late July.

Gen. Silva said that at the task undertaken by the armed forces stretched them to the maximum though officers and men met the challenging task. “Running vaccination centres 24 hours a day certainly not an easy task,” Gen. Silva said, pointing out that the public really appreciated their role.

Gen. Silva said that the military remained committed to take the ongoing vaccination drive to a successful conclusion. Referring to a statement made by Chairman of State Pharmaceutical Corporation (SPC) Dr. Prasanna Gunasena on Monday, Gen. Silva said that the country could be proud of that 96 percent of those above 30 had been inoculated. However, only 25 percent had been fully vaccinated, Dr. Gunasena told the media at the Information Department urging the public to be patient as they would receive the required protection two weeks after the second jab. Dr. Gunasena said that they intended to give the second jab to the remaining group this month.

Gen. Silva said that the government had announced the vaccination of those under 30 once the ongoing drive was brought to a successful conclusion.

The Army Commander said that some had conveniently forgotten how the eradication of terrorism allowed the government to fully concentrate on battling Covid-19.

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Cabinet approves construction of new 300 bed Base Hospital in Deniyaya

Published

5 hours ago

2026/02/18

Priyan

The Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution forwarded by the Minister of Health and Mass Media to relocate the Deniyaya Base Hospital after constructing a new hospital with a capacity of 300 beds at an estimated cost of Rupees 6,000 million.

The Southern Provincial Department of Health has acquired a plot of land in Handford estate which is approximately 03 kilometres away from the town for this purpose.

News

Cabinet nod to legally empower methodology for implementing the ‘Praja Shakthi’ poverty alleviation national movement

Published

6 hours ago

2026/02/18

Priyan

The Cabinet of Ministers granted approval for the resolution furnished by the Minister of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment to instruct the Legal Draftsman to draft a bill to legally empower the implementation of ‘Praja Shakthi’ (Strength of the Community) poverty alleviation national movement

News

NPP not under Indian pressure to hold PC polls – JVP

Published

6 hours ago

2026/02/18

Sahan Weerasooriya

Tilvin Silva

…preliminary work started on new Constitution

JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva yesterday (17) maintained that the NPP government was not under Indian pressure to hold the long delayed Provincial Council elections.

The top JVP official said so appearing on Sirasa Pathikada, anchored by Asoka Dias. Tilvin Silva said that neither the devolution nor terrorism issues had been discussed during his meeting with External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and Deputy National Security Advisor Pavan Kapoor, in New Delhi. This was Tilvin Silva’s first visit to India.

Declaring that politics hadn’t been on the agenda, the JVPer said that the Indian focus was entirely on economic development and technology.

The JVP General Secretary visited India under the Indian Council for Cultural Relations’ (ICCR) Distinguished Visitors Programme from 5-12 February 2026. General Secretary Silva was accompanied by Kitnan Selvaraj, MP, Ilankumaran Karunanathan, MP, JVP Central Committee Member Janaka Adhikari, JVP’s Media Unit Head Hemathilaka Gamage and Member of JVP’s International Relations Department Kalpana Madhubhashini. The delegation visited New Delhi, Ahmedabad and Thiruvananthapuram.

Responding to another query, Tilvin Silva said that Dr. S. Jaishankar had reiterated that India would always remain a true and trusted partner for Sri Lanka, in accordance with its ‘Neighbourhood First Policy’ and Vision ‘MAHASAGAR.’

Referring to the second JVP insurrection in the late 1980s, the JVPer claimed that they had not been against India but responded to the actions of the then Indian government.

Sri Lanka enacted the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in the wake of the Indo-Lanka peace accord of July 1987 to pave the way for Provincial Councils.

Tilvin Silva said that since they came to power, Indo-Sri Lanka relations had changed. “India has realised we could work together,” he said.

The JVP official said that preliminary work was underway, regarding the formulation of a new Constitution. The abolition of executive presidency and creation of an Office of President sans executive powers, too, would be addressed, he said, adding that the strengthening of the legislature was the other issue at hand.

Pointing out that the NPP had 2/3 majority in Parliament and could introduce a new Constitution on their own, Tilvin Silva said that they intended to obtain views of all and study the past processes in a bid to secure consensus. The JVP, as the party that campaigned against the introduction of executive presidency, way back in 1978, would lead the current effort to do away with the existing Constitution, he said.

Tilvin promised that they would implement what was in their manifesto.

The interviewer also raised the issue of abolishing the pensions for ex-Presidents. Tilvin Silva said that the Supreme Court, too, had approved the move to abolish pensions to ex-MPs. Therefore there was no issue with that, however, the ex-Presidents pensions couldn’t be done away with as they were made through the Constitution. That would be addressed when the government introduced a new Constitution in consultation with other stakeholders.

By Shamindra Ferdinando