AG seeks further clarification on obtaining Covid-19 vaccines from India

Attorney General Dappula de Livera has sought further clarifications from the Director-General of Health Services pertaining to the purchase agreement of Covid-19 vaccines from India.

His Coordinating Officer, State Counsel Nishara Jayaratne stated this issuing a statement today (January 22).

Director-General of Health Services said yesterday that the necessary documents were forwarded to the Attorney General’s Department for seeking legal approval to obtain Covid-19 vaccines from India.

India on Wednesday (January 20) began supplying Covid-19 vaccines to six neighbouring and key partner countries. Thereby, Bhutan, Maldives, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar and Seychelles became the first recipients of India-manufactured vaccines.

India stated that it was still awaiting the confirmation of necessary regulatory clearances from Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Mauritius.

However, State Minister of Production, Supply and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals Prof. Channa Jayasumana confirmed earlier today that the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) has approved the emergency use of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine jabs in Sri Lanka.

External Affairs Ministry (MEA) of India noted that several requests were received regarding the supply of Covid-19 vaccines manufactured by them.

Earlier this month, Indian regulators gave the nod for emergency use of two vaccines – Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine and another one developed by Indian vaccine maker Bharat Biotech.

India kicked off its own massive inoculation drive on the 17th of January, with a goal of vaccinating 300 million of its nearly 1.4 billion people.

The vaccines supplied to neighbouring countries are sent as grants and India’s External Affairs Ministry said the vaccines were not part of COVAX – the United Nations-backed global effort aimed at lower-income nations to obtain the jabs.