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Kumudesh warns govt. not to create crisis by vaccinating people in a hurry
By Rathindra Kuruwita
Certain Health Ministry officials were falsely claiming that they could start the vaccination process immediately after Sri Lanka took delivery of the vaccine consignments, President of the College of Medical Laboratory Science, Ravi Kumudesh said yesterday. He told The Island that the vaccination process was not that simple and those false claims might make the people lower their guard. Kumudesh said: “We need to distribute these vaccines around the country. We need to store them and deploy trained professionals to vaccinate people. We need to test the antibodies created after injecting people and be ready to deal with side-effects. We can’t do this overnight. There is also no need to create a crisis by trying to vaccinate people in a hurry.”
Kumudesh also said that the COVID-19 pandemic could not be controlled by vaccinating 300,000 people and that it might take two years to complete the vaccination process. By giving people a false hope that the vaccine might have the same effect as the Dhammika syrup, Kumudesh said. “Let’s assume we get 600,000 vaccine doses. We would only be able to vaccinate 300,000 people. Then we will have to see if the first batch has any side-effects and how many days it takes to form antibodies, etc. We have no idea how a vaccine might react to different varieties of the virus and even how many strains are here.”
Kumudesh added that the government had not even expanded the ability of the health sector to identify new strains of the coronavirus as only the University of Sri Jayawardenepura had a gene sequencing machine. There were at least five strains in Ukraine, from where Sri Lanka brought in tourists. “There could also be a new strain that originated here without our knowledge because we don’t do adequate gene sequencing.
“To identify new variants, we must sequence the genes of viruses detected through PCR testing. We need many gene sequencing machines because one can’t identify new strains through a PCR test. However, the Ministry of Health has not provided a single gene sequencing machine to any of its labs.”
Kumudesh added that from the President to the Health Minister, everyone had taken a top down approach when it came to vaccinating health sector personnel. “Those who are first exposed to the virus from patients are not administrators but people who come into contact with patients at the bottom of the hierarchy. Right now the junior hospital workers are the most vulnerable but I think that when it comes to vaccination, they will be given the least priority.”
Kumudesh said that no vaccine was 100% effective and it might have adverse effects on some people. Given that there were some risks, people should be properly educated and their consent obtained before they were vaccinated. He urged the people to continue good health practices such as physical distancing, washing hands regularly and wearing masks.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
