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Japan’s delivers 728,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine
Over 728,000 doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines have been delivered to Sri Lanka out of a total of over 1.4 million doses provided by the government of Japan through the COVAX dose sharing mechanism on Saturday. This is the third COVAX allocation to Sri Lanka, all being entirely donor-funded, with no cost to the country, Japanese Embassy in Colombo said yesterday.
The Japanese Embassy has, in a media release, said: “The first delivery of COVID-19 vaccines from the COVAX Facility was 264,000 doses of AstraZeneca in March, followed by 1.5 million Moderna vaccines donated by the US earlier this month.
“The government of Japan’s donation is an important response to calls for dose-sharing through the COVAX Facility as an immediate measure to address shortages in vaccine supply. COVAX, the vaccine initiative, is the only global mechanism that distributes vaccines rapidly and equitably with the mission to help end the acute phase of the pandemic as quickly as possible. COVAX is co-led by the World Health Organization (WHO); GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance; and, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) with UNICEF leading on logistics. COVAX receives important bilateral contributions from donors who have been consistent supporters of the UN more broadly; and, the Facility also has important alliances with member countries, multilateral institutions, foundations, the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, civil society organizations, manufacturers, and other stakeholders.
“The AZ vaccines are a significant contribution to Sri Lanka’s vaccination drive. The vaccine roll-out combined with public health and social measures reflects the Government of Sri Lanka’s commitment to slow the pandemic down and put the country on track for a robust recovery.
“The Minister of Health, Pavithra Wanniarachchi, emphasised the key role the COVAX Facility and donors play in Sri Lanka’s fight against COVID-19. “The arrival of this batch of vaccines is the result of continuous advocacy over the past several months by the Government of Sri Lanka, WHO, UNICEF, and the United Nations. And of course, it would not be possible without substantial support from the Government of Japan, who recognised that it is in every country’s best interest to work together to accelerate vaccination, because no country is safe until every country is safe”.
The Ambassador of Japan to Sri Lanka, Sugiyama Akira, noted that “as a long-standing friend of Sri Lanka, it is our great honour to provide through COVAX approximately 1.45 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine manufactured in Japan to further bolster the vaccination programme in Sri Lanka to ensure equitable access to vaccines for all people in need across the country. Japan has also provided USD 16.2 million to Sri Lanka to assist its combat against COVID-19, including improving its cold chain system. Globally, Japan has pledged USD 1 billion to the COVAX facility to accelerate vaccination in developing countries. Japan will continue to stand in solidarity with Sri Lanka in our fight against this global pandemic.”
“Vaccination, alongside preventive measures against COVID-19 is key in the fight against the pandemic. In line with the National Vaccine Deployment Plan, these vaccines will help reach the most vulnerable and key frontline workers”, said UNICEF Sri Lanka Representative Emma Brigham. “These vaccines from Japan to Sri Lanka demonstrate the true spirit of the collective global responsibility required to subdue the pandemic.”
The WHO Representative to Sri Lanka, Dr. Alaka Singh said: “Japan’s donation is much appreciated as an exemplary demonstration of global solidarity for the pandemic response. The contribution is critical for fully vaccinating those who have already received the first dose of AstraZeneca. This would be an important milestone for President Rajapaksa’s laudable vaccination plan and puts Sri Lanka on track to lead on WHO’s call to each country to vaccinate 40% of their population by year end. WHO recognizes this as one of the key factors against transmission, along with critical reinforcement from public health and social measures.
UN Resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka, Hanaa Singer-Hamdy said that “with the arrival of these vaccines, the COVAX Facility has provided Sri Lanka with more than 3.2 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines. These vaccines are from both donors earmarking allocations for Sri Lanka and the central allocation of doses provided to COVAX. My thanks to our colleagues from WHO and UNICEF Sri Lanka, who have worked tirelessly in supporting the Government to secure these vaccines. The UN in Sri Lanka is working closely with the Ministry of Health, in line with the National Deployment Plan, to ensure vaccines reach the most vulnerable within this evolving pandemic.”
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
