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No politics behind sending Pfizer to Hambantota: Hemantha Herath

09 Sep 2021

  • Health Ministry defends decision; notes luxury perception of Pfizer
By Dinitha Rathnayake Following the issuing of a Health Ministry directive allocating 50,000 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine to administer to the 20-30-year-old population in the Hambantota District, Health Ministry Communications Director, Public Health Services Deputy Director General (DDG), and Disaster Preparedness and Response Division Head Dr. Hemantha Herath told The Morning that this vaccine stock allocation was decided as per the available stocks and population in the area. “This was not decided under any political influence but simply considering the vaccine doses we have received and the population in the area. We have allocated Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines for the Mannar District as well. I think that most of the high-ranking politicians represent the Western Province, and therefore, if there is such a political influence exerted on the process, Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines should first have been given to the Western Province since it also has a larger population.” Dr. Herath also noted that certain persons consider the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine as a luxury item and at the same time, as a gate pass to enter other countries. “Political influence is everywhere but nobody can say that it affects this vaccination process,“ he observed. Meanwhile, the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) has issued a statement opposing the decision. According to the GMOA, the Germany-US-manufactured Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is the only Covid-19 vaccine recommended for children, while the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine is the widely available vaccine recommended for persons above 18 years. “There is no rationale behind vaccinating the 20-30 age group with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine,” the GMOA explained. The GMOA further added that the vaccination of schoolchildren in the 12-18 age group should be commenced before the reopening of schools in order to “prevent a catastrophic situation with the spread of Covid-19 in schools, as well as in households and society”. The World Health Organisation (WHO) in July stated that it is less urgent to vaccinate children and adolescents than older people and persons with chronic health conditions. This is due to children and adolescents usually getting the milder form of the disease compared to adults, unless they belong to a group at higher risk of severe Covid-19. “More evidence is needed on the use of different Covid-19 vaccines on children in order to be able to make general recommendations on vaccinating children against Covid-19,” the WHO added. However, the GMOA stated that an increase in infections in children and adolescents resulting in significant mortality and morbidity can be seen, which is why vaccination for the 12-18 age group is important. Elsewhere, the GMOA alleged that 300,000 persons over the age of 60 years are yet to receive a single dose of a Covid-19 vaccine.


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