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Inoculation drive: Armed forces’ contribution immeasurable; Belittling tremendous achievements regretable – CDS
Of 2.7mn fully vaccinated, 23 who had comorbidity succumb to Covid-19
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Army Commander, who is also the Chief of Defence Staff General Shavendra Silva, says the overall contribution made by the armed forces in Sri Lanka’s battle against Covid-19 is immeasurable.
In a brief interview with The Island, General Silva explained their contribution to the ongoing countrywide vaccination drive as Director General of Health Services (DGHS) Dr. Asela Gunawardena declared that the survival of the public depended on full vaccination.
Appearing on Derana ‘360’ Monday night, Dr. Gunawardena warned of dire consequences unless the people received both jabs.
Responding to interviewer Sanka Amarjith, Dr. Gunawardena said that of 4,132 Covid-19 deaths, only 23 died after having both vaccines. Of 14 mn who had received vaccines, 2.7 were so far given the second jab, Dr. Gunawardena said, adding that 177 succumbed having received one jab.
State Minister of Production, Supply and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals Prof. Channa Jayasumana told The Island that almost all of them had been over 60 and simultaneously affected by two or more medical conditions.
The CDS said that in addition to Narahenpita Military Hospital where selected groups, including teachers had been inoculated the Army managed countrywide makeshift vaccination facilities in support of health authorities. Gen. Silva regretted that the armed forces role in fighting the epidemic as well as formation of the Covid Task Force had become political issues both in and outside Parliament.
The former Commanding Officer of the much celebrated frontline fighting formation Task Force I /58 Division said that the deployment of the armed forces helped achieve vaccination targets. Gen. Silva emphasized that joint civil-military effort made it possible to inoculate over 14 mn people with 2.7 mn of them receiving both jabs.
Pointing out that vaccine roll-out began on January 29, within 24 hours after Sri Lanka received half a million Covishield (AstraZeneca) doses courtesy India, Gen. Silva said that the military was engaged in the inoculation process from the very beginning. Gen. Silva said that as the country continuously received stocks of AstraZeneca, Sinopharm, Pfizer, Sputnik, Moderna vaccines from different sources, the military gradually stepped up their efforts.
The government brought in the SLAF and the SLN in May and July respectively as the military expanded its role in the vaccination drive. The CDS said that the deployment of the armed forces streamlined the entire inoculation process. SLAF spokesman Wing Commander Dushan Wijesinghe and SLN spokesman Capt. Indika de Silva explained the initial deployment in support of the overall efforts before they undertook inoculation on their own.
Responding to another query, Gen. Silva pointed out that the military lessened the heavy burden on the civilian apparatus tasked with inoculation drive.
Responding to UNP leader and National List MP Ranil Wickremesinghe criticism of the Covid Task Force as well as the accusation that Parliament had been denied control over the operation undertaken by them, Gen. Silva said that the former Prime Minister received the first jab at Narahenpita Military Hospital in Feb. At the time the UNP leader had received first and the second jabs he hadn’t re-entered Parliament. Wickremesinghe re-entered parliament in late July.
Gen. Silva said that at the task undertaken by the armed forces stretched them to the maximum though officers and men met the challenging task. “Running vaccination centres 24 hours a day certainly not an easy task,” Gen. Silva said, pointing out that the public really appreciated their role.
Gen. Silva said that the military remained committed to take the ongoing vaccination drive to a successful conclusion. Referring to a statement made by Chairman of State Pharmaceutical Corporation (SPC) Dr. Prasanna Gunasena on Monday, Gen. Silva said that the country could be proud of that 96 percent of those above 30 had been inoculated. However, only 25 percent had been fully vaccinated, Dr. Gunasena told the media at the Information Department urging the public to be patient as they would receive the required protection two weeks after the second jab. Dr. Gunasena said that they intended to give the second jab to the remaining group this month.
Gen. Silva said that the government had announced the vaccination of those under 30 once the ongoing drive was brought to a successful conclusion.
The Army Commander said that some had conveniently forgotten how the eradication of terrorism allowed the government to fully concentrate on battling Covid-19.
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
