Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena has said Sri Lanka is focusing on eliminating Covid-19 from the country in the year 2021.
The Minister expressed these views at the 31st Special Session of the General Assembly in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, which was held last Thursday (3) and Friday (4).
Minister Gunawardena said the mechanism and strategic plan the Government has currently deployed to respond to the pandemic while maintaining normalcy in daily life, consists of 10 pillars.
“They are national level co-ordination, planning, and review as the first pillar; raising awareness among the public about the risk and active participation of the society in the mitigation process as the second; supervision, rapid response, and detection as the third; monitoring at the ports of entry and inland transportation routes as the fourth; strengthening the laboratory system as the fifth; control and prevention of the spread of the virus as the sixth; adequate handling of patients as the seventh; expediting facilities to all the healthcare services as the eighth; continuation of the essential health services as the ninth; and ensuring social security and continuation of economic activities as the 10th,” he said.
In addressing the socioeconomic impact caused by the pandemic, he said the Government has granted financial relief and dry rations to over six million families and vulnerable groups, established a Covid-19 Healthcare and Social Security Fund, and provides financial facilities to local businesses.
The Minister further said: “Sri Lanka has a long history of successful vaccination programmes. When introducing the Covid-19 vaccination programme, the Government ensures that public confidence is maintained. Sri Lanka is already included in the COVAX facility for the Covid-19 vaccination. For the implementation of a more safe vaccine programme in liaison with the World Health Organisation (WHO), a Co-ordination Committee consisting of the highest level experts at the Ministry of Health has been appointed. Following discussions with the WHO, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the World Bank, the Government has been able to secure funds for improvement and procurement of equipment for the maintenance of vaccine cold chains.
“As this virus transcends all national boundaries, the role of the UN is pivotally felt today. Sri Lanka reiterates the call of the UN Secretary General to make the Covid-19 vaccine a global public good – free and accessible to all. The UN needs to mobilise all resources and partners to this end, without any exception.”
“Sri Lanka reiterates its support to the extensive work carried out by the WHO. Since many countries are facing repeated waves of the virus, the WHO’s Access to Covid-19 Tools Accelerator should be facilitated by all stakeholders.
“Sri Lanka notes with concern that increased international financing and moratorium on debt are required for developing countries at this time of crisis. Sri Lanka reiterates that the middle-Income countries (MICs) be given special attention and joins the Secretary General’s call to broaden the eligibility for the G20 Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI) and to include the MICs.
“As we finally pass through this pandemic, let us hope that in a post-pandemic era, through co-ordinated and collective action aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals, we may build an inclusive and more resilient post-Covid world which is fairer and greener.”
The Minister expressed these views at the 31st Special Session of the General Assembly in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, which was held last Thursday (3) and Friday (4).
Minister Gunawardena said the mechanism and strategic plan the Government has currently deployed to respond to the pandemic while maintaining normalcy in daily life, consists of 10 pillars.
“They are national level co-ordination, planning, and review as the first pillar; raising awareness among the public about the risk and active participation of the society in the mitigation process as the second; supervision, rapid response, and detection as the third; monitoring at the ports of entry and inland transportation routes as the fourth; strengthening the laboratory system as the fifth; control and prevention of the spread of the virus as the sixth; adequate handling of patients as the seventh; expediting facilities to all the healthcare services as the eighth; continuation of the essential health services as the ninth; and ensuring social security and continuation of economic activities as the 10th,” he said.
In addressing the socioeconomic impact caused by the pandemic, he said the Government has granted financial relief and dry rations to over six million families and vulnerable groups, established a Covid-19 Healthcare and Social Security Fund, and provides financial facilities to local businesses.
The Minister further said: “Sri Lanka has a long history of successful vaccination programmes. When introducing the Covid-19 vaccination programme, the Government ensures that public confidence is maintained. Sri Lanka is already included in the COVAX facility for the Covid-19 vaccination. For the implementation of a more safe vaccine programme in liaison with the World Health Organisation (WHO), a Co-ordination Committee consisting of the highest level experts at the Ministry of Health has been appointed. Following discussions with the WHO, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the World Bank, the Government has been able to secure funds for improvement and procurement of equipment for the maintenance of vaccine cold chains.
“As this virus transcends all national boundaries, the role of the UN is pivotally felt today. Sri Lanka reiterates the call of the UN Secretary General to make the Covid-19 vaccine a global public good – free and accessible to all. The UN needs to mobilise all resources and partners to this end, without any exception.”
“Sri Lanka reiterates its support to the extensive work carried out by the WHO. Since many countries are facing repeated waves of the virus, the WHO’s Access to Covid-19 Tools Accelerator should be facilitated by all stakeholders.
“Sri Lanka notes with concern that increased international financing and moratorium on debt are required for developing countries at this time of crisis. Sri Lanka reiterates that the middle-Income countries (MICs) be given special attention and joins the Secretary General’s call to broaden the eligibility for the G20 Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI) and to include the MICs.
“As we finally pass through this pandemic, let us hope that in a post-pandemic era, through co-ordinated and collective action aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals, we may build an inclusive and more resilient post-Covid world which is fairer and greener.”