Sri Lanka puts Sinopharm on hold

• Dependency now on AstraZeneca 
• Second dose after new stocks arrive 

By Easwaran Rutnam 

Sri Lanka is yet to approve the use of the Sinopharm vaccine as the Chinese authorities have yet to submit the required information to clear its use.  Cabinet co-spokesman Dr. Ramesh Pathirana said that the Chinese vaccine has not yet completed phase 3 clinical trials.  

He also said that the complete dossier pertaining to the registration of China’s Sinopharm vaccine has also not yet been received. 

As a result, Dr. Ramesh Pathirana said that Sri Lanka will depend mostly on the AstraZeneca vaccine to vaccinate 14 million people in 
Sri Lanka. 

“For the time being we need to go with the AstraZeneca vaccine. The moment we receive full documentation from the Chinese manufacturer we can consider registering it,” he said. 
However, he said that registering the Sinopharm vaccine may take time as the World Health Organisation (WHO) is yet to approve it. 
“It is still under review,” he said. 

Dr. Ramesh Pathirana said that even the Russian vaccine Sputnik V is yet to be approved as a result of which Sri Lanka maybe compelled to depend on AstraZeneca to inoculate all 14 million people.