SJB MP condemns Govt. decision to import Sinopharm vaccine

By Sandun A Jayasekera

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Parliamentarian Manusha Nanayakkara yesterday charged that the government had given the go-ahead to import ‘Off Label’ vaccine Sinopharm from China.

He said that this had been done after removing the Chairman and three other members of the National Medicine Regulatory authority (NMRA) endangering the lives of millions of Sri Lankans.   

The SJB parliamentarian added that the NMRA had not received either the clinical dossier of the Sinopharm vaccine or the approval of the WHO for the Chinese made anti Covid- 19 vaccine.   

Making the NMRA which has a direct responsibility to preserve the  health of Sri Lankans a politically controlled establishment is  extremely indecent, unethical and poses a threat to the health of the  people 

“Therefore, the NMRA has every right not to approve the Sinopharm vaccine to use in Sri Lanka. However, the government’s decision to import 600,000 of this ‘Off Label’ vaccine has put the Sri Lankans at a high risk,” he stressed.

   
Mr. Nanayakkara said the four members of the NMRA Board removed by the government were highly qualified and respected medical professionals but the new Chairman appointed by the government  was the son of the former Chairman of the Southern Provincial Council who did not reside in Sri Lanka.   

“Making the NMRA which has a direct responsibility to preserve the health of Sri Lankans a politically controlled establishment is extremely indecent, unethical and poses a threat to the health of the people,” he noted.   

“The SBJ has decided to go round the country to educate the people on the government’s destructive and anti- people acts such as the deforestation, sugar scam, coconut oil fraud, politicisation the Judiciary and proving to the global community that Sri Lanka is a ‘failed state,” Mr. Nanayakkara said.