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Sri Lanka looking to purchase vaccine straight from AstraZeneca Plc
Sri Lanka is looking to purchase the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine for COVID-19 directly from AstraZeneca Plc to meet the country’s vaccine demand, the State Pharmaceutical Corporation (SPC) said.
SPC General Manager Dinusha Dassanayaka said that a draft agreement has been requested from the British-Swedish multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company to this end.
“Due to global demands, we are unable to get enough supply for the domestic demand from just one supplier. We were exploring possibilities to acquire more vaccines even before the issues with the Serum Institute of India (SII) arose,” he said.
On March 24, the Indian government imposed export restrictions on the SII-manufactured AstraZeneca Covishield vaccine in order to meet growing domestic demand in India due to a recent rise in cases.
“We have now requested the required documents from AstraZeneca UK to carry the process forward,” Dassanayaka said.
The SPC had previously made a purchase order for 10 million doses of the Covishield vaccine from the Serum Institute. However, according to Dassanayake, SII informed SPC that the delivery would be delayed due to a fire that erupted at an SII facility.
“When we enquired about the initial requirement of 10 million, we were informed that the delivery schedule will be confirmed by April for the complete purchase order. But with the new situation we don’t know which direction it will take,” he said.
The SPC general manager further said that, in the wake of the Indian government’s decision, SII had informed the SPC that the company is compelled to follow the directive.
However, State Minister Channa Jayasumana told reporters that Sri Lanka is looking for a diplomatic intervention with the Indian government to bring down the vaccine.
“Discussions are ongoing with the Indian government and we will be able to bring in another batch of 500,000 of Covishield to the country as was initially confirmed by the SII,” Jayasumana said.
Meanwhile, discussions are also under way with Russian authorities about purchasing the Sputnik V vaccine, with a draft agreement already sent.
The Cabinet of Ministers gave approved a proposal this week to purchase seven million doses of the Sputnik V vaccine for 69.65 million US dollars.
Dassanayaka further said the SPC is also looking to import the Johnson & Johnson vaccine manufactured in the US if the National Medical Regulatory Authority (NMRA) approves it for emergency use in Sri Lanka.
“No final decision has been reached or price negotiation has been done thus far. We will proceed if we get NMRA approval,” he said.
(ECONOMYNEXT)
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Students of Vihara Maha Devi Girls’ College Kandy visit Presidential Secretariat and President’s House
A group of students from Vihara Maha Devi Girls’ College, Kandy visited the Presidential Secretariat, the President’s House and Colombo Port City today (09).
This program, organized by the Presidential Secretariat, the Ministry of Education, and the Mass Communication Division of Parliament, offers schoolchildren the opportunity to explore important sites, including the Presidential Secretariat, the President’s House, Colombo Port City, and the Parliament. The students from Vihara Maha Devi Girls’ College, Kandy were fortunate to participate in this program.
During their visit, the students learned about the history of Parliament after touring the old Parliament building.
Director General (Legal) of the Presidential Secretariat Advocate J.M. Wijebandara, Director General of the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission Air Vice Marshal Bandula Herath (Retd), and Principal of Vihara Maha Devi Girls’ College, Kandy Mrs. Nilakshika Hapugoda along with several teachers were present on this occasion.
Most Reverend Dr. Brian Udaigwe, the Vatican Ambassador to Sri Lanka, met with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential Secretariat this morning (09).
During the meeting, the Vatican Ambassador congratulated President Dissanayake on his recent election victory, conveying heartfelt greetings from His Holiness Pope Francis, the Head of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of the Vatican City State.
Ambassador Udaigwe also extended best wishes for the continued success and prosperity of Sri Lanka under the new President’s leadership. In his remarks, Dr. Udaigwe expressed optimism about Sri Lanka’s future, stating that positive developments were forthcoming in line with the people’s aspirations. He commended President Dissanayake’s commitment to the welfare of the country and its citizens, offering the Vatican’s support in realizing the President’s vision for Sri Lanka.
Dr Udaigwe also lauded President Dissanayake’s initiative to conduct transparent and credible investigations into the tragic Easter Sunday bombings and assured the fullest cooperation of the Vatican in supporting the President’s efforts to bring justice and healing to the victims and their families.
In line with the forthcoming 75th Army Anniversary (10 October) a solemn ceremony was held on 7th October 2024 at the Battaramulla War Heroes’ Monument (Ranaviru Smarakaya) to pay tribute to the heroic sacrifices of the nation’s fallen War Heroes.
The Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Vikum Liyanage RWP RSP ndu, presided over the ceremony as the Chief Guest, lending a significant sense of respect and prominence to the occasion. The event commenced with singing the National Anthem, followed by a two-minute silence observed in honour of the nation’s fallen patriots.
Thereafter, the Chief Guest, accompanied by several Senior Officers and Colonels of all regiments of the Sri Lanka Army laid floral wreaths and saluted paying a solemn tribute to the fallen War Heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice for the sovereignty of the nation.
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Students of Vihara Maha Devi Girls’ College Kandy visit Presidential Secretariat and President’s House
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