Chinese Covid-19 vaccines to be delivered this week

• China had offered to donate 300,000 doses of Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccines

By Kelum Bandara

The government is planning to import the consignment of Covid-19 vaccines committed by China before the end of this week, a minister said.  

China had offered to donate 300,000 doses of Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccines upon request by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.  

State Minister of Production, Supply and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals Prof. Channa Jayasumana told Daily Mirror the government was working hard these days to import the stock of vaccines within this week.  
“We are liaising with the Chinese embassy to finalize formalities to receive the stock.We intend to bring it down before the Chinese New Year which falls on February 12,” he said.   

The stock will be flown in by a SriLankan airlines flight.   He also, said the regulatory clearances for this vaccine and the Russian –made Sputnik V would be given shortly by the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA).