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Crackdown on AstraZeneca sellers

21 May 2021

  • Online ads selling scarce jabs at Rs. 5,000: GMOA

  • Urges Epidemiology Unit to probe

  • ‘Don’t buy vaccines if they are in the market’: Public Health Services DDG

  • Requests public to exercise patience

By Dinitha Rathnayake and Buddhika Samaraweera   Stern action is to be taken against those who sell anti Covid-19 vaccines that are provided by the Government free of charge, after the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) informed that doses of the Oxford AstraZeneca Covishield anti Covid-19 vaccine, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, were allegedly being sold for Rs. 5,000 each. In response to an inquiry made by The Sunday Morning regarding the allegation, the State Minister of Primary Health Care, Epidemics, and Covid-19 Disease Control Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle further added that currently, relevant arrangements are being made to detect and tackle such acts. GMOA Assistant Secretary Dr. Naveen De Zoysa, speaking to the media, said that since only a limited number of Covishield vaccines were delivered to the country, people are in a rush to obtain them, having formed long queues. “The Government vaccination process is not progressing under a proper plan. This is the reason why third parties are involved in selling vaccines by posting advertisements. Some websites are selling the said vaccine for Rs. 5,000. Certain racketeers have capitalised on this opportunity by maliciously selling these vaccines. In that case, it will paint a very bad picture of the Government's vaccination drive. Who’s getting this money? Is it someone who’s from the health sector? If the Epidemiology Unit is not involved in this business, why aren't they clarifying these reports? People need to know what's going on. A probe should include whether those vaccines have been slipped out of the warehouses or from the hands of the persons who are assigned to issue them. All administrative responsibilities on issuing and handling these vaccines should be entrusted to the Epidemiology Unit. They should also probe under whose authority these vaccines have been allowed to be sold,” Dr. De Zoysa added. Meanwhile, Public Health Services Deputy Director General Dr. Hemantha Herath said that even though there are certain news reports regarding this issue, there is no evidence to prove it. “If there are vaccines in the market available for sale, don’t try to purchase them. We will administer this vaccine to all, free of charge. Don’t involve any third parties in this process. I also urge the public to be patient until the Government administers this vaccine and I request the public to not pay money unnecessarily to purchase this vaccine.”  

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