News
Vaccination of those under 18: Sobitha Thera urges caution
Ven. Omalpe Sobitha thera recently said that there was no scientific consensus about vaccinating children against COVID-19, and Sri Lankan children should not be used as guinea pigs. The Thera made this statement addressing a press conference organised by the Collective to Minimise COVID deaths.
The Thera said that they did not oppose the government’s decision to reopen schools. However, steps should be taken to enhance the natural immunity of children and certain tools and practices of indigenous medicines, too, could be used for the purpose, he said.
“We must all think long-term given the impact of this crisis. However, I don’t think that those in power are taking a long-term view of the crisis. I spoke to Prof. Tissa Vitharana about the pandemic and he is our most authoritative virologist. I also spoke to Dr. Channa de Silva who is Chest Physician and a Paediatrician· They all think that we must not vaccinate children hurriedly,” the thera said.
The Thera d that added the WHO was of the opinion that COVID-19 vaccines were safe for those above 18 years and that children and adolescents tended to have milder disease, compared to adults, so unless they were part of a group at higher risk of severe COVID-19, it was less urgent to vaccinate them than older people, those with chronic health conditions, and health workers.
“As we know the vaccine only reduces the severity of the disease and deaths. There is also research that there are some serious side-effects of the new mRNA vaccines. Surf the Internet and there is a lot of information from reliable sources. So, why are we in such a hurry to vaccinate our children?” the Thera asked.
The Thera also criticised the statement made by Dr. Harsha Atapattu, urging women to postpone pregnancy. All nations in the world are facing the pandemic and not a single senior doctor who holds a key position has made such a request, the Thera said.
“It seems that the doctors and officials in charge of the pandemic response are just blurting out things that come to their mind. They are not thinking rationally or scientifically. Meanwhile, intelligent and thoughtful doctors and officials have been sidelined. Real experts are silent or have just stopped offering advice. This is why we should be wary of this sudden desire to vaccinate children with Pfizer.”said.
The Thera said that some researchers were worried about administering the mRNA vaccines to pregnant mothers because they worry the fetus might be affected. Given that many tests were underway that would give us better answers about vaccinating children. Since children and adolescents were less affected by the virus, Sri Lanka should wait until the world had a clear answer about the vaccines. In the meantime, the government should take steps to boost the immunity of children and establish protocols that limit the chance of the spread of the virus, he said.
“Renowned experts on vaccines and genetics claim that we must first carry out research about vaccines before giving them to kids. The University of Sri Jayewardenepura has done excellent research. Why doesn’t the government ask them to research this? Why hasn’t the government looked at the tools to boost immunity of Sinhala medicine? Just because a vaccine has been given in the US, we must rush to the conclusion that it works here,” he said.
The Thera said that the government should promote food supplements produced by indigenous medical practitioners to boost immunity. There were a number of associations who were working on this regionally.
Dr. Udara Sampath Gunawardane, who also spoke at the press conference, said that most Medical Specialists had not commented on vaccinating children. Long years were needed when recommending vaccines and medications for pregnant women and children, he said. “While the body composition of adults over 25 are set for the most part, we must be wary of giving young people vaccines using spike proteins/ genetic material”, he said.
“In a week or so the government is planning to vaccinate those under 18. Have we conducted any study? If so, show us the report. Look at the side-effects of such a vaccine on children. Talk to authoritative experts on vaccines and genetics. They will tell you in private that mRNA vaccines should not be used on kids, but only Prof. Vitharana has said this in public. Authoritative experts on vaccines and genetics too have a responsibility to come out and tell the truth. We must not take these unnecessary risks.”
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
