No govt decision to purchase Sinovac vaccine from China

By Ifham Nizam

The government had not decided to purchase the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccines, Head of the Presidential Task Force for National Deployment and Vaccination Plan Lalith Weeratunga yesterday told journalists in Colombo during the inauguration of the Presidential Media Centre (PMC) at Janadipathi Mawatha.

The Centre is located at the ground floor of the old Chartered Bank building in front of the President’s House in Colombo Fort.

Weeratunga said that a consignment of 725,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines would reach Sri Lanka by 5.00 pm on Saturday (31).

The Presidential Media Centre aimed to provide accurate and efficient information to the media and the public on the progress of the implementation of programmes to fulfil the pledges made to the people in the policy statement, ‘Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour’, he said.

During the weekly media briefing, journalists get an opportunity to ask questions directly or via online from the President’s Spokesman and government officials on selected topics. The Media Centre is equipped to host around 40 journalists at a time.

Director General of the President’s Media Division Sudewa Hettiarachchi noted that it was the responsibility of all journalists to make the best use of the Presidential Media Centre.