Video PlayerClose

COLOMBO, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has named an eight-member special Presidential Task Force for National Deployment and Vaccination Plan for COVID-19 vaccines which will be headed by the principal advisor to the president Lalith Weeratunga, local media reported Tuesday.

The government on Monday said COVID-19 vaccines is expected to arrive in Sri Lanka next month and citizens could receive the jab by mid or end of February.

In a special gazette notification issued by the task force, it said the timely and efficient delivery of such a vaccine to achieve population immunity to COVID-19 is a paramount need facing the country, and a concerted high-level national intervention is required to achieve coordination and collaboration among relevant government agencies and stakeholders at national, district and local levels for effective deployment of vaccines and vaccination.

While the secretary to the Health Ministry is authorized to determine the protocols and sources of procurement, the Presidential Task Force for National Deployment and Vaccination Plan for COVID-19 Vaccine has been directed to execute the tasks which include identifying safe and efficacious COVID-19 vaccines, identifying and prioritizing high-risk population groups and sequencing the delivery for the public.

The task force, which is required to submit reports to President Rajapaksa periodically, will also enforce a vaccination vigilance plan to record and monitor the process of vaccination and report adverse events in real-time. Enditem