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Jayasumana explains how AZ use can be maximised
By Shamindra Ferdinando
State Minister of Pharmaceutical Production, Supply and Regulation Prof. Channa Jayasumana says those tasked with the inoculation drive managed to immunise a higher number of persons than expected by withdrawing and administering accurate vaccine doses in the multi-dose phials.
The WHO says that in multi-dose phials, there can be a difference between the number of doses stated on their labels and the actual number of doses that can be withdrawn. “The true number of doses available from a multi-dose phial will depend on several factors such as syringe dead space, phial overfill volume, and technique and accuracy of doses withdrawn and delivered.”
Prof. Jaysumana said so in response to The Island query how the health administration inoculated 1,301,026 by June 29, 8.30 pm having received 1,264,000 AstraZeneca (Covishield) doses. We raised the issue at hand on the basis of figures pertaining to the ongoing vaccination drive made available by the Epidemiology Unit of the Health Ministry on June 29.
Prof. Jayasumana said that AstraZeneca vaccine was received in bottles – each prescribed to inoculate 10 persons (ml .5 each) though 12 could be immunized due to the availability of an additional 1ml in each bottle.
“We instructed inoculation of 11 persons though initially one phial was used for 10 persons. Some pointed out the waste and instructions were issued immediately to remedy the situation,” Prof. Jayasumana said, adding that an experienced person can comfortably use one bottle to vaccinate 12 persons.
Sri Lanka received the first consignment of 500,000 Covishield doses from Serum Institute, Pune on January 28 courtesy the government of India. The second batch also comprising 500,000 doses was received on Feb 25 in terms of an agreement between the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation (SPC) of Sri Lanka and the Serum Institute of India.
Pointing out that inoculation drive commenced on January 29, the day after Sri Lanka received the first consignment, Prof. Jayasumana said that the third consignment consisting 264,000 doses was received on March 7 through the COVAX facility. Altogether, Sri Lanka received 1,264,000 Covishield doses, Prof. Jayasumana said, adding that if not for the unfortunate breakdown of supply line due to sudden eruption of Covid-19 pandemic in India, there would have been a steady supply of AstraZeneca.
According to WHO statement issued on March 7, Sri Lanka was to receive 1,440,000 doses by end of May. The WHO is on record as having said that additional doses to cover 20% of Sri Lanka’s population were to be delivered in the second half of 2021. COVAX doses are donor-funded and provided at no cost to Sri Lanka. In terms of COVAX’s commitment, Sri Lanka was to receive 8.4 million vaccine doses to cover 20% of the population, according to the WHO.
According to the Epidemiology Unit, 925,242 persons received AstraZeneca in January (59,426), February (406,924), March (453,403) and April (5,489). They received the second dose beginning April and by June 29 altogether 375,784 got the second jab. Prof. Jayasumana said that 37,026 had been given the second dose by saving on available Covishield.
The Epidemiology Unit stated that as at June 29, Sinopharm first and the second doses had been given to 1,657,741 and 605,116 persons, respectively whereas 114,795 and 14,425 received Sputnik first and second jabs.
Asked whether Sinopharm and Sputnik now used here in the inoculation drive could provide extra doses, Prof Jayasumana explained Sinopharm phial could be used for two vaccines and the Russian product for one person.
Prof. Jayasumana acknowledged that the vaccination drive had been marred by several incidents, such as the Galle incident where over 400 persons from Colombo received the jab on two days in violation of specific guidelines laid down in that regard. The matter was now before courts, Prof. Jayasumana said, adding that jumping the vaccination queue couldn’t be accepted under any circumstances.
Once Sri Lanka received the first consignment of Pfizer, probably on July 5 and Moderna much later, altogether five Covid-19 vaccines would be in use in Sri Lanka, in addition to Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine, too, scheduled to have a share in the vaccine market, Prof. Jayasumana said.
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
