Features
‘Nobody is safe until everyone is safe’
The world faces a ‘catastrophic moral failure’ because of unequal COVID vaccine policies. With more than 80% of the COVID vaccines being given in high and upper-middle income countries, low-income nations are left at the receiving end with just 0.5 percent.
The inequitable distribution of vaccines have left the poor nations in the lurch and if the rich countries ‘keep their vaccine promises, the pandemic can end,’ observes the Director General of WHO, Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus.
Randima Attygalle speaks to Dr. Palitha Abeykoon, World Health Organization (WHO) Director General’s Special Envoy to facilitate the COVID-19 response in Southeast Asia, for the latest developments of the pandemic which has taken a new shape, pushing countries to deploy new management strategies. Following are excerpts:
Q: With new COVID variants emerging, what are the predictions for both the world and us in the next few weeks and months and what precautions are encouraged?
A:
Considering the factors and trends in other parts of the world, particularly in India, we can talk of certain potentials. As a country, we managed both the first and the second waves relatively well with a ‘whole of society approach’; people and the government stakeholders, particularly the frontline health workers and defense personnel working together, standing on the same side. However, with the onset of the recent festive season, this ‘whole of society’ approach was slackened leading to this spike we are experiencing right now. Even in the case of India with some mammoth super-spreader events and dropping of the guard including non-observance of simple health protocols, a spike was inevitable. We are only hoping that it is only a spike and not a surge, both locally and globally.
Here at home, if the number of infected cases does not rise rapidly in the next two weeks, our health sector will be able to manage the situation, albeit with considerable strain, but if the numbers do not come down by the middle of next week or so, it will certainly lead to a deeply worrying situation.
The evidence we have now reflects, (unlike in the first or second round), that the UK Variant of Concern (B1.117) is now established in Sri Lanka and with this virus the transmission is more efficient, more young people are infected, more serious complications are developed with more patients requiring oxygen and ICU facilities. If numbers increase, we will have a problem with capacity. The health sector is now setting up intermediate centers to isolate and treat patients, however, it will be a big strain on the system. Although we were fortunate to have vaccinated our frontline health workers and other personnel, we should not forget that they are working round the clock and are physically and even mentally exhausted. The logistical demands and shortcomings are an added burden on them.
The world still does not know enough about COVID 19 variants or the way the virus behaves, hence extreme precautions are necessary. The University of Jayewardenapura is doing a splendid job isolating the variants, particularly the variants of concern. We will need to do more sequencing which is a very expensive exercise. However, we cannot afford to neglect that also. There has been concern that some of the variants are not completely covered by some of the vaccines available; but this should not be much of a worry as the vaccines we use do give adequate protection, particularly preventing serious complications and death. Random testing in high transmission areas should also be given more muscle.
There is also this recent story in a reputed journal gaining ground that transmission is through aerosols in addition to being through droplets but research is still in process to establish it. In any event the key measures needed for preventing transmission in either case would be similar and are now well known.
Q: What lessons can we draw from India’s predicament?
A:
India is alerting us that ‘no one is safe unless everyone is safe.’ Being a large player in the drugs and pharmaceutical industry, India is today struggling to meet their health demands. With havoc in Delhi and Maharashtra, they do not have sufficient personal protection equipment, oxygen etc. We need to be mindful that the Indian situation can affect our supplies as well as we are a major importer of Indian pharmaceuticals and equipment.
Today the Indian health system is burnt out and this is an eye opener for us. We need to endeavour to prevent the Indian variant entering Sri Lanka and do more sequencing to determine if the new Indian variant (B. 1.617) which seems more virulent and produces serious complications, has entered the country.
In the past few weeks, we have been too lax and let our hair down too early and easily. The situation in India should push us to strengthen our ‘risk communication’ to the public.
Q: Do you think there is a need for tighter inter-province travel restrictions right now because despite warnings, people from ‘red zones’ such as Colombo still tend to flock into outstations?
A:
Yes, certainly there should be certain restrictions. In a country where the majority are daily wage earners, we cannot afford to go down for a long lock down risking the livelihood of thousands. What is needed is a balancing act for which selective lockdowns which are now in force and travel restrictions as indicated. There should also be other restrictions with regard to assembly, any type of gathering or ceremony and these restrictions should be strictly enforced. It is urgent that the transmission from ‘red zones’ to other ‘not-so vulnerable regions’ is suppressed. I reiterate that we cannot afford to overwhelm our health sector exceeding its capacities.
Q: What is the overall success rate of the vaccination programme world over?
A:
It is very clear that the countries which vaccinated more than 50% of their populations have demonstrated a lesser number of cases. In fact Israel has achieved nearly 85% of a roll out – the first country to achieve such a large number – and it is considered to have achieved ‘herd immunity’ and able to relax the earlier restrictions. For a while Israel has been reporting a very few cases and this is an example to the rest of the world. Even in England, the number of cases has come down, and can be attributed in some measure to the impact of the vaccination program, and so is the case in some of the states in the U.S.
Q: Many malpractices and managerial drawbacks were witnessed when the first dose of the Covax vaccine was locally administered. How important is it not to replicate these during a possible second roll out?
A:
If the programme stuck to its original mandate of vaccinating the frontline personnel and those over 60 years, it would have been much more successful because still the world over, most number of cases and deaths are reported among the elderly. With the initial mandate shifting from senior citizens, some people attempted to take advantage of the vaccination program and this was unfortunate. So prioritizing of the elderly and those with co -morbidities in the next phase of the program is still a must. We also need to prioritize factory workers and those who contribute significantly to the economy and among whom the spread of the infection is common.
Q: There is concern over the second dose with a possible shortage of vaccines. Where do we stand in this backdrop?
A:
Still there is an uncertainty about the quantity of the second doses which will be available, and whether we will receive these in time. I am aware of the efforts made by those responsible to ensure supplies for the second dose. We have already got around 600,000 doses of the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine which is awaiting WHO Emergency Use Listing which is likely to be obtained by the second week of May. (Our regulations require either WHO clearance or another similar stringent authority’s clearance for the administration of a new vaccine). We are also expecting the Russian Sputnik V vaccine in the next few weeks. With the possible arrival of these vaccines, we should be in a much better position within the next four to five weeks support the control of the spike to a limited extent and expand the vaccination program simultaneously.
Q: What are the other South East Asian countries which come under your purview that administer Chinese vaccinations and the Russian Sputnik V?
A:
The Maldives started administering the Chinese Sinopharm in small doses about two weeks ago. This vaccine was also gifted to Nepal and just a few days ago they commenced their roll out. Indonesia is using the other Chinese vaccine- Sinovac. Pakistan is using both Sinopharm and Sinovac. The Sputnik V is not yet being used in the region but it is likely that it will also soon get into the regional vaccine portfolio. Beyond the South East Asian region, the Chinese vaccines are also being used in the UAE, many South American countries and in certain parts of Africa.
Q: Bhutan is considered a model in COVID management efforts. Can you throw more light on this?
A:
It is indeed a model. Bhutan illustrates well how an enlightened leadership and a disciplined and sensible population managed to mitigate the risks and prevent the transmission and spread of the disease in the country. Bhutan prevented the infection coming into the country for a long time but it eventually did arrive there from the borders of her ‘big brothers.’ Nevertheless, they have been very successful in suppressing the virus. So far the country has only reported less than a thousand cases and just one death. It is also a country which has already vaccinated nearly 70% of their population, more than many of the developed countries. This is quite a feat.
Q: WHO Chief has expressed his concerns about the inequitable distribution of vaccines. In his recent report which appeared in the New York Times he had noted that if the rich nations ‘keep their vaccine promises, the pandemic can end.’ What are your thoughts?
A:
Although the rich countries talk of ‘One-health, universal health coverage’ etc. they have left only very few vaccines for the poor countries. More than 80% of the vaccines are found in the rich countries. This is a very sad situation and the rich countries should now ‘make a choice’ as the WHO Director General remarked. The ACT Accelerator (Access to COVID-19 Tools) was set up by a number of organizations including the WHO and European Commission and several more global bodies to enable tools such as vaccines, drugs, supplies and equipment to fight the pandemic. In fact the WHO has developed a fair allocation formula through the Covax facility. This global collaboration has worked to a large extent with regard to everything other than the vaccine distribution that was iniquitous. This is a serious problem and apart from the ethics and social justice, the rich countries should realize before it’s too late that they are not going to be safe until others are also safe. In economic terms alone too, the global economy cannot recover if there are serious disparities in vaccine coverage and it is a false economy for countries to do it alone.
by Dr Gotabhya Ranasinghe
Senior Consultant Cardiologist
National Hospital Sri Lanka
When we sought a meeting with Hon Dr. Ramesh Pathirana, Minister of Health, he graciously cleared his busy schedule to accommodate us. Renowned for his attentive listening and deep understanding, Minister Pathirana is dedicated to advancing the health sector. His openness and transparency exemplify the qualities of an exemplary politician and minister.
Dr. Palitha Mahipala, the current Health Secretary, demonstrates both commendable enthusiasm and unwavering support. This combination of attributes makes him a highly compatible colleague for the esteemed Minister of Health.
Our discussion centered on a project that has been in the works for the past 30 years, one that no other minister had managed to advance.
Minister Pathirana, however, recognized the project’s significance and its potential to revolutionize care for heart patients.
The project involves the construction of a state-of-the-art facility at the premises of the National Hospital Colombo. The project’s location within the premises of the National Hospital underscores its importance and relevance to the healthcare infrastructure of the nation.
This facility will include a cardiology building and a tertiary care center, equipped with the latest technology to handle and treat all types of heart-related conditions and surgeries.
Securing funding was a major milestone for this initiative. Minister Pathirana successfully obtained approval for a $40 billion loan from the Asian Development Bank. With the funding in place, the foundation stone is scheduled to be laid in September this year, and construction will begin in January 2025.
This project guarantees a consistent and uninterrupted supply of stents and related medications for heart patients. As a result, patients will have timely access to essential medical supplies during their treatment and recovery. By securing these critical resources, the project aims to enhance patient outcomes, minimize treatment delays, and maintain the highest standards of cardiac care.
Upon its fruition, this monumental building will serve as a beacon of hope and healing, symbolizing the unwavering dedication to improving patient outcomes and fostering a healthier society.We anticipate a future marked by significant progress and positive outcomes in Sri Lanka’s cardiovascular treatment landscape within the foreseeable timeframe.
by Fr. Emmanuel Fernando, OMI
Jesuit Fr. Aloysius Pieris (affectionately called Fr. Aloy) celebrated his 90th birthday on April 9, 2024 and I, as the editor of our Oblate Journal, THE MISSIONARY OBLATE had gone to press by that time. Immediately I decided to publish an article, appreciating the untiring selfless services he continues to offer for inter-Faith dialogue, the renewal of the Catholic Church, his concern for the poor and the suffering Sri Lankan masses and to me, the present writer.
It was in 1988, when I was appointed Director of the Oblate Scholastics at Ampitiya by the then Oblate Provincial Fr. Anselm Silva, that I came to know Fr. Aloy more closely. Knowing well his expertise in matters spiritual, theological, Indological and pastoral, and with the collaborative spirit of my companion-formators, our Oblate Scholastics were sent to Tulana, the Research and Encounter Centre, Kelaniya, of which he is the Founder-Director, for ‘exposure-programmes’ on matters spiritual, biblical, theological and pastoral. Some of these dimensions according to my view and that of my companion-formators, were not available at the National Seminary, Ampitiya.
Ever since that time, our Oblate formators/ accompaniers at the Oblate Scholasticate, Ampitiya , have continued to send our Oblate Scholastics to Tulana Centre for deepening their insights and convictions regarding matters needed to serve the people in today’s context. Fr. Aloy also had tried very enthusiastically with the Oblate team headed by Frs. Oswald Firth and Clement Waidyasekara to begin a Theologate, directed by the Religious Congregations in Sri Lanka, for the contextual formation/ accompaniment of their members. It should very well be a desired goal of the Leaders / Provincials of the Religious Congregations.
Besides being a formator/accompanier at the Oblate Scholasticate, I was entrusted also with the task of editing and publishing our Oblate journal, ‘The Missionary Oblate’. To maintain the quality of the journal I continue to depend on Fr. Aloy for his thought-provoking and stimulating articles on Biblical Spirituality, Biblical Theology and Ecclesiology. I am very grateful to him for his generous assistance. Of late, his writings on renewal of the Church, initiated by Pope St. John XX111 and continued by Pope Francis through the Synodal path, published in our Oblate journal, enable our readers to focus their attention also on the needed renewal in the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka. Fr. Aloy appreciated very much the Synodal path adopted by the Jesuit Pope Francis for the renewal of the Church, rooted very much on prayerful discernment. In my Religious and presbyteral life, Fr.Aloy continues to be my spiritual animator / guide and ongoing formator / acccompanier.
Fr. Aloysius Pieris, BA Hons (Lond), LPh (SHC, India), STL (PFT, Naples), PhD (SLU/VC), ThD (Tilburg), D.Ltt (KU), has been one of the eminent Asian theologians well recognized internationally and one who has lectured and held visiting chairs in many universities both in the West and in the East. Many members of Religious Congregations from Asian countries have benefited from his lectures and guidance in the East Asian Pastoral Institute (EAPI) in Manila, Philippines. He had been a Theologian consulted by the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences for many years. During his professorship at the Gregorian University in Rome, he was called to be a member of a special group of advisers on other religions consulted by Pope Paul VI.
Fr. Aloy is the author of more than 30 books and well over 500 Research Papers. Some of his books and articles have been translated and published in several countries. Among those books, one can find the following: 1) The Genesis of an Asian Theology of Liberation (An Autobiographical Excursus on the Art of Theologising in Asia, 2) An Asian Theology of Liberation, 3) Providential Timeliness of Vatican 11 (a long-overdue halt to a scandalous millennium, 4) Give Vatican 11 a chance, 5) Leadership in the Church, 6) Relishing our faith in working for justice (Themes for study and discussion), 7) A Message meant mainly, not exclusively for Jesuits (Background information necessary for helping Francis renew the Church), 8) Lent in Lanka (Reflections and Resolutions, 9) Love meets wisdom (A Christian Experience of Buddhism, 10) Fire and Water 11) God’s Reign for God’s poor, 12) Our Unhiddden Agenda (How we Jesuits work, pray and form our men). He is also the Editor of two journals, Vagdevi, Journal of Religious Reflection and Dialogue, New Series.
Fr. Aloy has a BA in Pali and Sanskrit from the University of London and a Ph.D in Buddhist Philosophy from the University of Sri Lankan, Vidyodaya Campus. On Nov. 23, 2019, he was awarded the prestigious honorary Doctorate of Literature (D.Litt) by the Chancellor of the University of Kelaniya, the Most Venerable Welamitiyawe Dharmakirthi Sri Kusala Dhamma Thera.
Fr. Aloy continues to be a promoter of Gospel values and virtues. Justice as a constitutive dimension of love and social concern for the downtrodden masses are very much noted in his life and work. He had very much appreciated the commitment of the late Fr. Joseph (Joe) Fernando, the National Director of the Social and Economic Centre (SEDEC) for the poor.
In Sri Lanka, a few religious Congregations – the Good Shepherd Sisters, the Christian Brothers, the Marist Brothers and the Oblates – have invited him to animate their members especially during their Provincial Congresses, Chapters and International Conferences. The mainline Christian Churches also have sought his advice and followed his seminars. I, for one, regret very much, that the Sri Lankan authorities of the Catholic Church –today’s Hierarchy—- have not sought Fr.
Aloy’s expertise for the renewal of the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka and thus have not benefited from the immense store of wisdom and insight that he can offer to our local Church while the Sri Lankan bishops who governed the Catholic church in the immediate aftermath of the Second Vatican Council (Edmund Fernando OMI, Anthony de Saram, Leo Nanayakkara OSB, Frank Marcus Fernando, Paul Perera,) visited him and consulted him on many matters. Among the Tamil Bishops, Bishop Rayappu Joseph was keeping close contact with him and Bishop J. Deogupillai hosted him and his team visiting him after the horrible Black July massacre of Tamils.
Sri Lanka-Singapore Free Trade Agreement
By Gomi Senadhira
senadhiragomi@gmail.com
“You might tell fairy tales, but the progress of a country cannot be achieved through such narratives. A country cannot be developed by making false promises. The country moved backward because of the electoral promises made by political parties throughout time. We have witnessed that the ultimate result of this is the country becoming bankrupt. Unfortunately, many segments of the population have not come to realize this yet.” – President Ranil Wickremesinghe, 2024 Budget speech
Any Sri Lankan would agree with the above words of President Wickremesinghe on the false promises our politicians and officials make and the fairy tales they narrate which bankrupted this country. So, to understand this, let’s look at one such fairy tale with lots of false promises; Ranil Wickremesinghe’s greatest achievement in the area of international trade and investment promotion during the Yahapalana period, Sri Lanka-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (SLSFTA).
It is appropriate and timely to do it now as Finance Minister Wickremesinghe has just presented to parliament a bill on the National Policy on Economic Transformation which includes the establishment of an Office for International Trade and the Sri Lanka Institute of Economics and International Trade.
Was SLSFTA a “Cleverly negotiated Free Trade Agreement” as stated by the (former) Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade Malik Samarawickrama during the Parliamentary Debate on the SLSFTA in July 2018, or a colossal blunder covered up with lies, false promises, and fairy tales? After SLSFTA was signed there were a number of fairy tales published on this agreement by the Ministry of Development Strategies and International, Institute of Policy Studies, and others.
However, for this article, I would like to limit my comments to the speech by Minister Samarawickrama during the Parliamentary Debate, and the two most important areas in the agreement which were covered up with lies, fairy tales, and false promises, namely: revenue loss for Sri Lanka and Investment from Singapore. On the other important area, “Waste products dumping” I do not want to comment here as I have written extensively on the issue.
1. The revenue loss
During the Parliamentary Debate in July 2018, Minister Samarawickrama stated “…. let me reiterate that this FTA with Singapore has been very cleverly negotiated by us…. The liberalisation programme under this FTA has been carefully designed to have the least impact on domestic industry and revenue collection. We have included all revenue sensitive items in the negative list of items which will not be subject to removal of tariff. Therefore, 97.8% revenue from Customs duty is protected. Our tariff liberalisation will take place over a period of 12-15 years! In fact, the revenue earned through tariffs on goods imported from Singapore last year was Rs. 35 billion.
The revenue loss for over the next 15 years due to the FTA is only Rs. 733 million– which when annualised, on average, is just Rs. 51 million. That is just 0.14% per year! So anyone who claims the Singapore FTA causes revenue loss to the Government cannot do basic arithmetic! Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, I call on my fellow members of this House – don’t mislead the public with baseless criticism that is not grounded in facts. Don’t look at petty politics and use these issues for your own political survival.”
I was surprised to read the minister’s speech because an article published in January 2018 in “The Straits Times“, based on information released by the Singaporean Negotiators stated, “…. With the FTA, tariff savings for Singapore exports are estimated to hit $10 million annually“.
As the annual tariff savings (that is the revenue loss for Sri Lanka) calculated by the Singaporean Negotiators, Singaporean $ 10 million (Sri Lankan rupees 1,200 million in 2018) was way above the rupees’ 733 million revenue loss for 15 years estimated by the Sri Lankan negotiators, it was clear to any observer that one of the parties to the agreement had not done the basic arithmetic!
Six years later, according to a report published by “The Morning” newspaper, speaking at the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) on 7th May 2024, Mr Samarawickrama’s chief trade negotiator K.J. Weerasinghehad had admitted “…. that forecasted revenue loss for the Government of Sri Lanka through the Singapore FTA is Rs. 450 million in 2023 and Rs. 1.3 billion in 2024.”
If these numbers are correct, as tariff liberalisation under the SLSFTA has just started, we will pass Rs 2 billion very soon. Then, the question is how Sri Lanka’s trade negotiators made such a colossal blunder. Didn’t they do their basic arithmetic? If they didn’t know how to do basic arithmetic they should have at least done their basic readings. For example, the headline of the article published in The Straits Times in January 2018 was “Singapore, Sri Lanka sign FTA, annual savings of $10m expected”.
Anyway, as Sri Lanka’s chief negotiator reiterated at the COPF meeting that “…. since 99% of the tariffs in Singapore have zero rates of duty, Sri Lanka has agreed on 80% tariff liberalisation over a period of 15 years while expecting Singapore investments to address the imbalance in trade,” let’s turn towards investment.
Investment from Singapore
In July 2018, speaking during the Parliamentary Debate on the FTA this is what Minister Malik Samarawickrama stated on investment from Singapore, “Already, thanks to this FTA, in just the past two-and-a-half months since the agreement came into effect we have received a proposal from Singapore for investment amounting to $ 14.8 billion in an oil refinery for export of petroleum products. In addition, we have proposals for a steel manufacturing plant for exports ($ 1 billion investment), flour milling plant ($ 50 million), sugar refinery ($ 200 million). This adds up to more than $ 16.05 billion in the pipeline on these projects alone.
And all of these projects will create thousands of more jobs for our people. In principle approval has already been granted by the BOI and the investors are awaiting the release of land the environmental approvals to commence the project.
I request the Opposition and those with vested interests to change their narrow-minded thinking and join us to develop our country. We must always look at what is best for the whole community, not just the few who may oppose. We owe it to our people to courageously take decisions that will change their lives for the better.”
According to the media report I quoted earlier, speaking at the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) Chief Negotiator Weerasinghe has admitted that Sri Lanka was not happy with overall Singapore investments that have come in the past few years in return for the trade liberalisation under the Singapore-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement. He has added that between 2021 and 2023 the total investment from Singapore had been around $162 million!
What happened to those projects worth $16 billion negotiated, thanks to the SLSFTA, in just the two-and-a-half months after the agreement came into effect and approved by the BOI? I do not know about the steel manufacturing plant for exports ($ 1 billion investment), flour milling plant ($ 50 million) and sugar refinery ($ 200 million).
However, story of the multibillion-dollar investment in the Petroleum Refinery unfolded in a manner that would qualify it as the best fairy tale with false promises presented by our politicians and the officials, prior to 2019 elections.
Though many Sri Lankans got to know, through the media which repeatedly highlighted a plethora of issues surrounding the project and the questionable credentials of the Singaporean investor, the construction work on the Mirrijiwela Oil Refinery along with the cement factory began on the24th of March 2019 with a bang and Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and his ministers along with the foreign and local dignitaries laid the foundation stones.
That was few months before the 2019 Presidential elections. Inaugurating the construction work Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said the projects will create thousands of job opportunities in the area and surrounding districts.
The oil refinery, which was to be built over 200 acres of land, with the capacity to refine 200,000 barrels of crude oil per day, was to generate US$7 billion of exports and create 1,500 direct and 3,000 indirect jobs. The construction of the refinery was to be completed in 44 months. Four years later, in August 2023 the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by President Ranil Wickremesinghe to cancel the agreement with the investors of the refinery as the project has not been implemented! Can they explain to the country how much money was wasted to produce that fairy tale?
It is obvious that the President, ministers, and officials had made huge blunders and had deliberately misled the public and the parliament on the revenue loss and potential investment from SLSFTA with fairy tales and false promises.
As the president himself said, a country cannot be developed by making false promises or with fairy tales and these false promises and fairy tales had bankrupted the country. “Unfortunately, many segments of the population have not come to realize this yet”.
(The writer, a specialist and an activist on trade and development issues . )
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