COVID-19 vaccination drive kicks off in Sri Lanka with ‘Made in India’ vaccines

New Delhi: The COVID-19 vaccination drive kicked off in Sri Lanka on Friday, a day after India’s present of 5 lakh doses of Covishield vaccine reached the island nation.
The drive started on the Army Hospital in Narahenpita as frontline staff combating COVID-19 have been vaccinated with the ‘Made in India’ Covishield vaccine.
The vaccination drive was formally launched on the National Institute of Infectious Diseases with the participation of State Minister of Primary Health Services, Pandemics and COVID Prevention, Dr Sudarshini Fernandopulle, and India High Commissioner Gopal Baglay.
The first vaccine was given to Dr Ananda Wijewickrema, a specialist on the hospital. The hospital workers was then vaccinated, Colombo Page reported.

Made in India vaccine was administered in varied hospitals in Colombo.This drive was formally launched on the National Institute of Infectious Diseases. Hon’ble MOS Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle , High Commissioner and varied different dignitaries attended the occasion. #VaccineMaitri pic.twitter.com/jEhq7DT7uT
— India in Sri Lanka (@IndiainSL) January 29, 2021

“Made in India vaccine was administered in various hospitals in Colombo. This drive was formally launched at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases. Hon’ble MOS Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle, High Commissioner and various other dignitaries attended the event,” Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka tweeted.
Last week, Sri Lanka’s drug regulatory physique — National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA)–gave a go-ahead to Oxford Astrazeneca’s vaccine.
The AstraZeneca-Oxford Covishield vaccine developed within the UK is manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII).
India on Thursday despatched a complete of 5 lakh doses of COVID-19 vaccines to Sri Lanka beneath the “Vaccine Maitri” initiative.
After receiving the consignment of vaccines, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa tweeted: “Received 500,000 COVID-19 vaccines provided by people of India at BIA today (28). Thank you! PM Shri Narendra Modi and people of India for the generosity shown towards People of Sri Lanka at this time in need.”

#VaccineMaitri #NeighbourhoodFirst https://t.co/Sk8MFSTUeu
— India in Sri Lanka (@IndiainSL) January 28, 2021

Sri Lanka plans to first vaccinate about 150,000 well being personnel and 120,000 tri-forces, police and different safety personnel, who’re within the frontline combating in opposition to the virus.
Vaccinations can be carried out at Colombo National Hospital, Colombo North and Colombo South Teaching Hospitals, Mulleriyawa Base Hospital, Homagama Base Hospital and National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Sri Lankan Ministry of Health mentioned.
Sri Lanka has recorded over 61,000 Covid-19 circumstances up to now. As many as 297 folks within the nation have succumbed to the virus. (ANI)