CMLS flays govt. for procurement of Pfizer vaccine despite growing scepticism

By Rathindra Kuruwita

President of the College of Medical Laboratory Science (CMLS), Ravi Kumudesh said yesterday that Sri Lanka had imported Pfizer COVID vaccines without a proper estimate and therefore vaccines worth four million dollars would be wasted.

Kumudesh told The Island: “The Ministry decided to import Pfizer vaccines last year and they imported a large quantity without making any estimates. It didn’t have a plan on vaccinating people. It didn’t think of growing vaccine skepticism and did not take steps to address that. Most people didn’t take the third jab.”

Kumudesh said that around 14 million doses of vaccine imported, and their shelf life ended in the second week of July. The Ministry imported Pfizer at 6.75 US dollars a jab and about 600,000 doses past the expiry date were in warehouses.

“Apparently, the Health Ministry officials are trying to change the date of expiry and protect those who decided to import a large quantity of the vaccine without an estimate,” Kumudesh said.

The Ministry had to look at the present need and take steps to import adequate quantities, the CMLs chief said.

“Most people are now skeptical about Pfizer. Therefore, they have skipped the third jab but the Health Ministry is trying to persuade them to take the fourth jab,” he said.

Kumudesh said medicine had to be imported at least 24 months before their the end of their shelf life. That had been the standard practice earlier, he said.