With the global COVID-19 pandemic SL economy fared better than other countries: PM

Sri Lanka’s economy has fared better than many other countries in the globe in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 as its economic growth had been -3.9% in the 4th quarter compared to approximate global economy growth has been -5% Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa told Parliament yesterday.

While claiming that the Advisory Committee on Communicable Diseases (ACCD) was preparing the Vaccine Deployment Plan at present,health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi said yesterday that COVID-19 vaccine would be provided to the people soon after the approval was granted by the

ACCD. She told Parliament that Vaccine Deployment Plan would be prepared based on various aspects such as the target group to be vaccinated, storage facilities, locations and possible side-effects of the vaccines. The Minister said the COVAX Facility had agreed to provide the vaccine approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for 20% of the population and added that all legal requirements have already been completed in that respect. “The Health Ministry had requested the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) on July 20 last year to obtain the vaccine through the COVAX Facility.they have agreed to provide the vaccine to 20% of the population free of charge,”he said. She said Principal Advisor to President Lalith Weeratunga, who was appointed to coordinate the process of obtaining vaccines, was engaged in discussions with governments and States at diplomatic level. (YOHAN PERERA AND AJITH SIRIWARDANA)