Sri Lanka to purchase 10 million COVID-19 vaccines

COLOMBO (News1st): The government has decided to enter into an agreement with India's Serum Institute to purchase 10 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine at a cost of Rs 10.5 billion. The State Pharmaceuticals Corporation said Sri Lanka had inked an agreement yesterday to import 1.5 million doses of the vaccine that has been manufactured under the brand name Covishield. The purchase would be made at a cost of Rs 526 million. The 1.5 million vaccines are due to reach the country in three batches containing 500,000 jabs each, with the first batch due to receive the country next week. The second and third batches of vaccines carrying 500,000 doses each are due to be received by the country in March and April this year. India's Serum Institute had approved a request made by Sri Lanka to supply 10 million vaccines, although the initial request had been for 18 million doses. Accordingly, Sri Lanka has also placed an order for vaccines from the manufacturer of the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab in the UK. The production cost of a vaccine at India's Serum Institute that stood at 3 dollars has now increased up to 5.25 US dollars.