article on Chickenpox vaccines Health Ministry responds to Daily Mirror

By Sheain Fernandopulle 

The Ministry of Health has responded to a recent article published by the Daily Mirror regarding the availability of Chickenpox vaccines.

In its official statement, the Ministry said there was no alarming rise in Chickenpox cases in the country and emphasised that the Chickenpox vaccination is not part of the national immunisation programme at present.

However, the Ministry also mentioned a shortage of drugs, a detail that was not referenced in the Daily Mirror article.

The Daily Mirror clarifies that its article did not report on any shortage of drugs for Chickenpox patients, but rather focused solely on the availability of the vaccine at private hospitals.

The information was obtained from credible sources within the private healthcare sector over the limited availability of the vaccine in those institutions. Furthermore, the article did not intend to create undue fear or suggest a false shortage of medication. Its objective was to inform the public about the vaccine’s accessibility in the private sector.

Meanwhile, the article also included input from Consultant Paediatrician Dr. Deepal Perera, whose comments were strictly in relation to clinical details about Chickenpox, including methods of transmission and prevention. Dr. Perera did not comment on the availability or shortage of the vaccine.