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Rs. 1.4bn loss due to expiration of Pfizer vaccines

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The government has no plans to bring down the US-made Pfizer BioNTech vaccine against COVID-19 after about six million doses (about one million vials) expired this week, causing a whopping loss of Rs. 1.4 billion to the Government.

At the beginning of the vaccination drive against COVID-19, many people were not given the US-made Pfizer vaccine as their first and second doses. The limited amounts of Pfizer were restricted to those travelling overseas, cancer patients, and fisherfolk in the North and Northwestern coastal areas.

Health Services Deputy Director General Dr. Hemantha Herath told the Sunday Times that the Health Ministry had ended administering the US-made vaccine as the people had shown less interest in getting booster doses against the virus.

He said that despite 8.2 million people obtaining the first Pfizer booster dose (third dose) only 202,571 people had been administered the second booster shot (fourth dose).

The majority of the Pfizer vaccines were purchased by the Health Ministry, said Dr. Herath. The United States donated 1.9 million doses of Pfizer in partnership with COVAX, a World Health Organisation-led programme.

Dr. Saman Ratnayake, a former Secretary to the State Ministry of Pharmaceutical Products, Supply and Regulation, said the vials were bought in 2021 at USD 6-7 a vial when the dollar rate was Rs. 198.

According to the Epidemiology Unit, about 12 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine have been administered in Sri Lanka. More than 2.6 million people were given the Pfizer vaccine as the first dose, 1.1 million as the second dose, 8.3 million as the booster dose and just over 200,000 as the second booster dose.

The government has spent an estimated Rs. 52 billion for the purchase of the Pfizer vaccines.

The Health Ministry’s Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Samitha Ginige said the shelf life was extended from July 31 to October 31 after consultation with the WHO but still those who got the jab were less than expected.

Just after WHO’s confirmation of the shelf life, the government tried to donate six million doses to Myanmar with the assistance of the WHO but failed.

Health authorities said the vaccination drive to immunise school students with the Pfizer vaccine too failed due to frequent school closures. They say this year’s economic crisis, political unrest, transportation, and gas issues diverted the people’s attention away from the second booster dose.

“It is such a waste knowing millions of doses of Pfizer have expired. There were times people were desperately looking for Pfizer. Now there are no Pfizer vaccines in the country,” said Head of the Public Health Inspectors Union Upul Rohana.

He said the issue would arise for those travelling overseas seeking the Pfizer dose as the vaccine was currently not available even in the private sector.

“Most people didn’t have much choice ending up with the Indian-made Covishield or the Chinese-made Sinopharm. We as MPs were getting calls from well-known personalities seeking the Pfizer vaccine as the first and second doses,” said Opposition MP Kins Nelson who raised the vaccine concern in Parliament recently. The MP said the government should look into how such wastage of vaccines took place when there was actual demand for the specific vaccine.

COVID-19 claimed 16,781 lives and 671,110 persons have been confirmed to have contracted the virus since the first outbreak. At present Sinopharm is available at MoH-based vaccination centres.

(sundaytimes.lk)

(Except for the headline, this story, originally published by sundaytimes.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)

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Adani decides to withdraw from wind energy project in SL

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Adani Green Energy has decided to withdraw from its proposed wind energy project in Mannar, Sri Lanka.
The company has conveyed this decision in a letter addressed to the chairman of Sri Lanka’s Board of Investment.

“It was learnt that another Cabinet appointed negotiations committee and Project Committee would be constituted to renegotiate the project proposal,” the company wrote in a letter, a copy of which was seen by Reuters, addressed to the chairman of Sri Lanka’s Board of Investment.

“This aspect was deliberated at the Board of our company and it was decided that while the company fully respects the sovereign rights of Sri Lanka and its choices, it would respectfully withdraw from the said project,” the letter added.

Adani Green Energy is a part of Indian billionaire Gautam Adani’s Adani Group.

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AG withdraws recommendation on Lasantha murder suspects

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The Attorney General has informed Mt. Lavinia Magistrate’s court that the recent recommendation made by him regarding the suspects involved in the murder of Sri Lankan journalist – Lasantha Wickrematunge will be suspended temporarily.

The AG has informed the Court of this in writing today (Feb. 13).

In a letter sent to the Director of the CID on Jan. 27, the Attorney General had previously provided his legal advice, regarding the release of three individuals.

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UAE – SL reaches agreement to strengthen economic & investment relations

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Coinciding with the President’s three-day official visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to attend the World Governments Summit 2025, Sri Lanka and the UAE reached an agreement on Reciprocal Promotion and Protection of Investments to strengthen economic and investment relations between the two countries.

The agreement was signed by Mohamed Bin Hadi Al Hussaini, UAE’s Minister of State for Financial Affairs, and Vijitha Herath, Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs.  

This bilateral agreement establishes a secure legal framework to expand investment opportunities in global markets while ensuring the protection of foreign investments.  

The purpose of this agreement is to facilitate and strengthen foreign investments between the two nations by ensuring investor rights protection, promoting economic cooperation, and establishing comprehensive investment protection mechanisms, dispute resolution frameworks, and policy structures. This agreement will also contribute to strengthening global economic partnerships and creating opportunities for exploring new investment prospects in Sri Lanka.

This agreement underscores the importance of bilateral economic development and financial stability while demonstrating the commitment of both the United Arab Emirates and Sri Lanka to strengthening economic cooperation. It aims to foster trade and business expansion in Sri Lanka while promoting a transparent and stable investment environment.

Furthermore, this agreement also highlights Sri Lanka’s commitment to enhancing Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and fostering a more attractive investment landscape. By enhancing investor confidence, it is expected to generate new business opportunities and contribute to economic progress.  

Ultimately, this agreement will reinforce the long-term partnership between the UAE and Sri Lanka, facilitating sustainable investments and advancing trade and financial collaborations between the two countries.  

(President’s Media Division)

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