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Infectious Diseases Forum alleges bungling in ongoing vaccination

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“Whole purpose would be lost and vaccination would have been in vain”

In a statement on “maldistribution of Covid 19 vaccine,” the Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Forum of Sri Lanka, last week warned that if the elderly are not vaccinated, the entire purpose of the COVID vaccination program would have been in vain.

Dr. H. T. Wickramasinghe, President of the Forum said in this connection that “Saving lives is of paramount importance” and that the Health Ministry decision not to give the vaccine to people between the ages of 30-59-years was “meaningless.”

The Forum said in a statement that it appreciated the decision made by the Government to buy nine million doses of Covisheild vaccine from Serum Institute of India to be given to Sri Lankan citizens.

“We noted that 500,000 doses gifted to us by India have been given to healthcare workers and social workers involved in the care of the COVID patients and contacts. We also have observed that the remaining vaccines have been distributed to many MOH areas to be given to adults between 30 years to 59 years of age.

“Our opinion, and the opinion of WHO is entirely different. According to the WHO protocol, the first priority is given to the healthcare workers and the next priority is given to people over 65 years and people with co-morbid features. Countries such as Israel has vaccinated elderly over 65 years and people with co-morbid features first, before giving the vaccine to healthcare workers.

“The reason was to bring down the mortality. In fact, Israel has seen the results within three weeks with a significant reduction of deaths. New Zealand has decided to follow Israel by giving the vaccine first to the elderly. before giving to healthcare workers.”

Stressing that the primary purpose of the vaccination is to avert deaths, the Forum said its efficacy ranges from 70-84%, signifying a possibility of getting COVID 19 infection despite vaccination. But with AstraZeneca vaccine (Covishield), it is observed that the mortality reduction is almost 100%.

“That is the primary aim of this vaccine programme. However, the Ministry decision to give the remaining vaccines to public between 30-59 years is meaningless. It does not avert deaths among elderly. The basis of this decision by the Ministry of Health is not clear. The number of doses left would be only two to three hundred thousand. With such a limited number of vaccine doses, how could a population of Sri Lankans aged between 30 -59 years be protected?

“In fact, this limited number of doses, should have been given to people over 65 years of age. That would have averted a significant number of deaths due to COVID 19.”

The statement said there is suspicion growing among public, which is unavoidable and excusable. The decision to give the vaccine for 30-59 years old, has created a wrong impression among public that the vaccine should not be given to elderly over 60 years, as it is unsafe. We have heard that it is already happening and people may become reluctant to give the vaccine to elderly.

“When the new consignment of vaccines is available for elderly people, it may become difficult to convince the public that the vaccine is safe for the elderly. They might ask, ‘Then why didn’t you give the vaccine to elderly last time.’ We hope that the Ministry would come out with a convincing answer.

“Saving lives is of paramount importance. Therefore, if elderly are not vaccinated, the entire purpose of the COVID vaccination program would have been in vain.”

 

 



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Veteran singer and musician Professor Sanath Nandasiri passed away at the age of 81

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Overtime gravy train for public sector back

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Govt. MPs make contradictory statements on state of economy

By Shamindra Ferdinando

UNP National List MP Wajira Abeywardena on Sunday (26) disclosed the issuance of a circular by the Finance Ministry to restore overtime and other payments in the public sector.

The declaration was made in Galle soon after Transport and Media Minister Bandula Gunawardane lamented that the government was short of billions of rupees to pay public sector salaries, pensions, Samurdhi payments and meet recurrent expenditure.

Minister Gunawardena and UNP National List MP Abeywardena addressed the local media after the handing over of several buses to the Galle SLTB depot.

Cabinet Spokesman Gunawardena said that the government needed as much as Rs 196 bn before the Sinhala and Tamil New Year and its projected revenue was Rs 173 bn. In addition to that Rs 500 mn was required to settle what Minister Gunawardena called bilateral debt.

Minister Gunawardane said that a part of the first tranche of USD 333 mn from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) would be utilised to pay public sector salaries.

Of the USD 333 mn received so far, USD 121 had been used to pay the first installment of USD 1 bn credit line secured from India early last year, according to State Finance Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya.

Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera in the second week of August last year revealed as much as Rs 3 bn had been paid as overtime to Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) workers for several months. This disclosure was made in response to a query raised by Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kiriella.

One of the major demands of the public sector trade unions on the warpath over the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government’s new tax formula is the restoration of overtime.

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Now, Opposition wants Finance Secy. hauled up before Privileges Committee

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Prof G L Peris

Prof. G. L. Peiris yesterday (27) urged Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena to act speedily on the main Opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) request to summon Finance Secretary Mahinda Siriwardena before the parliamentary Committee on Ethics and Privileges.

Addressing the media on behalf of the Freedom People’s Alliance, the former External Affairs Minister said that the Treasury Secretary had challenged the parliament by withholding funds allocated in the budget 2023 to the Election Commission thereby sabotaging the election.

Prof. Peiris said that there couldn’t be a far worse violation of parliamentary privileges than a government official undermining Parliament.

Instead of appreciating the intervention made by the Supreme Court to facilitate the delayed Local Government polls, the ruling party had sought to challenge the apex court, Prof. Peiris said, urging Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena to fulfill his obligations.

Prof. Pieris said that if the government lacked funds, just one percent of USS 333 mn received from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was sufficient to conduct the election.

The ex-minister said that the IMF wouldn’t oppose the utilisation of a fraction of the first tranche of USD 2.9 bn loan facility provided over a period of four years to guarantee the constitutional rights of the Sri Lankan electorate. (SF)

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