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Partnership with donors help to strengthen Sri Lanka’s COVID-19 Vaccination Rollout through COVAX Facility

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COLOMBO, 18 March 2021 – In one of the most remarkable collective efforts in history – the COVAX Facility, a partnership between CEPI, Gavi, UNICEF and WHO on one hand and multiple donors on the other, is helping to make the COVID-19 vaccine  available to protect vulnerable groups against the pandemic.

The first batch of 264,000 doses of the Oxford AstraZeneca ‘Covishield’ vaccines recently arrived in Sri Lanka for the most vulnerable elderly population above 60 years of age in high-risk areas impacted by COVID-19 in line with the National Vaccine Deployment Plan of the Ministry of Health (MOH).

According to the Plan, there are approximately 2.65 million elderly people (above 60 years of age) in the country.

The partner Governments including various bilateral, multilateral as well as some major foundations and corporations are providing significant support and funding, in order to ensure the equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines globally, including to Sri Lanka.

Speaking on behalf of the UN in Sri Lanka, the Resident Coordinator, Hanaa Singer-Hamdy, said, “Global solidarity is more important than ever, and donors are playing a fundamental role in making the provision of vaccines to the most high-risk groups in Sri Lanka and across the world possible”.

Development partners and international financial institutions across the world are providing substantial financial resources to the COVAX facility to help countries through the pandemic recovery period to ensure that no one is left behind.

“We are all grateful for this partnership. Together we can defeat this pandemic and charter a course to social and economic recovery by ensuring a safer and healthier future for everyone in Sri Lanka,” the Resident Coordinator said.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us that no one is safe, until everyone is safe and the fair and equitable access to the vaccine is the only way we can defeat the virus” Ms. Singer-Hamdy said.

As part of the agreement between the MOH and the COVAX Facility, vaccines are being allocated for 20 per cent of the population which will cover 4.4 million people in the country. The first round of allocations from the COVAX facility of 1.44 million vaccines will be provided in stages through to May 2021. The vaccines will be procured by UNICEF, subject to the availability from manufacturers and authorization by WHO Emergency Use Listing (EUL).

 

 



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Level III landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala and Matale extended

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The landslide early warning center of the National Building Research Organisation [NBRO] has extended the  Level III RED landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala and Matale until 1600hrs on 11th December 2025.

Accordingly,
The LEVEL III RED landslide warnings issued to the the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Kundasale, Pasbage Korale, Medadumbara, Ganga Ihala Korale, Hatharaliyadda, Pathadumbara, Doluwa, Panvila, Gangawata Korale, Ududumbara, Akurana, Yatinuwara, Harispattuwa, Deltota, Thumpane, Poojapitiya, Udapalatha, Udunuwara, Minipe and Pathahewaheta in the Kandy district, Aranayaka, Yatiyanthota, Rambukkana, Bulathkohupitiya and Mawanella in the Kegalle district, Mallawapitiya, Mawathagama and Rideegama in the Kurunegala district, and Rattota, Laggala Pallegama, Ukuwela, Matale, Wilgamuwa, Pallepola, Naula, Yatawatta and Ambanganga Korale in the Matale district have been extended.

LEVEL II AMBER landslide early warnings have been  issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Uva Paranagama, Hali_Ela, Meegahakivula, Badulla, Kandeketiya, Bandarawela, Soranathota, Ella, Haputhale, Lunugala, Welimada, Haldummulla and Passara in the Badulla district, Warakapola, Galigamuwa, Kegalle, Dehiowita, Ruwanwella and Deraniyagala in the Kegalle district, Polgahawela and Alawwa in the Kurunegala district, Kothmale East, Walapane, Thalawakele, Nuwara Eliya, Kothmale West, Nildandahinna, Mathurata, Ambagamuwa Korale, Hanguranketha and Norwood in the Nuwara Eliya district. and Kolonna, Godakawela and Kahawaththa in the Ratnapura district.

LEVEL I YELLOW landslide early warnings have been  issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Divulapitiya, Attanagalla and Mirigama in the Gampaha district, Narammala in the Kurunegala district, and Kiriella, Eheliyagoda, Balangoda, Kaltota, Openayake, Nivithigala, Imbulpe, Ayagama, Kuruwita, Kalawana, Elapatha, Pelmadulla and Ratnapura in the Ratnapura district.

 

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“We cannot allow flooding to become a part of the daily lives of the people in the Colombo District” – PM

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Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that unauthorized constructions within the Colombo District, nor any form of residential developments that endanger the public carried out under the guise of development agenda will not be allowed.

The Prime Minister made these remarks while addressing the media at the conclusion of the Colombo District Disaster Management Committee meeting held on Tuesday [December 09] at the Colombo District Secretariat.

Addressing further, the Prime Minister stated:

“The Colombo District has become vulnerable to this extent due to the constructions carried out without any proper planning or understanding of regulations, along with personal and politically motivated decisions that have placed both the district and its people at risk.

Compared to the districts that suffered severe loss of life and property due to the recent cyclone, the damage to the Colombo District has been relatively lower. However, special intervention is being carried out together with the relevant institutions to manage the potential future flood risks in the district.

This matter was also given special attention during today’s District Disaster Management Committee meeting. We cannot allow the flooding to become a regular part of the lives of the people in Colombo. All relevant institutions will come together to put forward a common plan for flood control in the district.”

The Prime Minister further stated that discussions are already underway to provide sustainable solutions for the people living in high-risk areas within the Colombo District.

The discussion was attended by the Deputy Minister of Urban Development Eranga Gunasekara, Deputy Minister of Mass Media Kaushalya Ariyaratne, and Colombo District Members of Parliament Aruna Panagoda and Chandana Suriyarachchi.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]

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Russia gifts 35 tonnes of Humanitarian Aid to Sri Lanka

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The handover of 35 tonnes of Russian Humanitarian Aid to Sri Lanka, recently affected by the cyclone «Ditwah», took place at  Katunayake today (10th December)

The shipment was welcomed at the Katunayake airport by Ambassador of Russia Levan Dzhagaryan, Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation  Anura Karunathilaka and Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd).

Ambassador Levan Dzhagaryan: said “This delivery is a reflection of long-term friendly relations between Russia and Sri Lanka and reaffirms Moscow’s commitment to support countries in a difficult humanitarian situation.”

The supplies brought by the EMERCOM (Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations) aircraft comprised a movable 60 kW electric power station,  Pumping equipment for water drainage, Summer tents (10-person capacity) and  Food supplies (sugar, vegetable oil, rice)

The total cargo weight is 35 metric tonnes. The aid will be distributed among the most affected regions.

 

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