COLOMBO, Jan 29 (NNN-SLNEWS) – Sri Lanka yesterday received 5,00,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine gifted by India, the country’s first consignment, as the island nation prepares to begin its roll-out.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who received the vaccines from the Indian High Commissioner at the Bandaranaike International Airport tweeted: “Received 500,000 #COVID19 vaccines provided by #peopleofindia at #BIA today(28). Thank you! PM Shri @narendramodi & #peopleofindia for the generosity shown towards #PeopleofSriLanka at this time in need.”
Vaccination will commence on Friday (today), at six main hospitals in Sri Lanka’s Western Province, a statement from President Rajapaksa’s office said.
“Around 150,000 health workers, 120,000 members of the tri-forces, police and security forces, who are at the frontline of COVID prevention operations will be given first priority,” the statement said.
Sri Lanka’s public health sector, along with the military, has been leading the country’s response to the pandemic, since it struck the island in Mar, 2020.
Sri Lanka, which controlled the first wave effectively, is currently witnessing a surge in cases, with the number of positive patients and deaths going up from 3,300 and 13, respectively, in early Oct, to 60,694 infections and 290 deaths as of yesterday.
In addition to reporting the recent U.K.-variant of the virus, scientists in Sri Lanka earlier this week identified another new strain, reported in countries such as Switzerland, Denmark, Iceland, and Germany.
India donated the vaccines to Sri Lanka, following a request President Rajapaksa made to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, who was in Colombo earlier this month, had assured Sri Lanka that India would give it “top priority” while dispatching vaccines in the region.
The Indian High Commission in Colombo, on the eve of the arrival of the vaccines said, the consignment of COVISHIELD vaccine was arriving on the “auspicious Duruthu Poya Day” [full moon], in what it called “a remarkable coincidence.”– NNN-SLNEWS
