COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa says he believes the Director-General of the World Health Organization will make an effort to fulfill Sri Lanka’s need for 600,0000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine for the 02nd dose of the vaccination drive.

In a tweet, the President said he had a useful zoom discussion with Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and went on to note that the meeting it transpired that approval would be given in another 2-3 days for the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine to be used for emergency use.

“With that approval, Sri Lanka will be able to start vaccinating our people with the current stock of 600,000 Sinopharm doses in hand,” tweeted the President.

He further said that the Director-General of the WHO while commending Sri Lanka’s control of the pandemic during the first wave, was hopeful that the current surge in affected persons would be soon brought under control.

“I registered my appreciation of the support the WHO has been providing at regional and Colombo office level,” the President further tweeted.

Had a useful zoom discussion with @DrTedros. I believe he will make effort to fulfil #lka need for 600,000 doses of #AstraZeneca for the 2nd dose of vaccination.
Globally, there is a need for 20 million doses of the #AstraZeneca for the 2nd dose.

— Gotabaya Rajapaksa (@GotabayaR) May 7, 2021

@DrTedros while commending our control of the pandemic during the first wave, was hopeful that the current surge in affected persons would be soon brought under control. I registered my appreciation of the support the #WHO has been providing at regional and Colombo office level.

— Gotabaya Rajapaksa (@GotabayaR) May 7, 2021

At the meeting it transpired that approval would be given in another 2-3 days for #Sinopharm to be used for emergency use. With that approval, #lka will be able to start vaccinating our people with the current stock of 600,000 #Sinopharm doses in hand.

— Gotabaya Rajapaksa (@GotabayaR) May 7, 2021

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