Top health officials of Galle District transferred over vaccine controversy

The Regional Director of Health Services and the Regional Epidemiologist of Galle District have been demoted and transferred over the incident of vaccinating many people from Western Province as revealed by Ada Derana ‘Ukussa’.

This is the result of the preliminary inquiries carried out by the Health Ministry following the exposé by Ada Derana, which the ministry says is being further investigated. 

The Ministry of Health had launched an investigation into the irregularities at a COVID vaccination program held recently at Unawatuwa in Galle, after the matter was exposed by Ada Derana ‘Ukussa’ on Monday (07).

Several politicians and trade unions had highlighted the incident after it was uncovered by Ada Derana while the State Minister of Production, Supply and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals, Prof. Channa Jayasumana also brought the matter to attention during the parliamentary session yesterday (08).

As per ‘Ukussa’ revelation, a group of individuals from the Western Province had also arrived for the vaccination program in Galle to receive the second dose of Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, despite the islandwide travel restrictions in place.

State Minister Prof. Jayasumana had said a team from the Health Ministry has been deployed to Galle to look into the matter and that legal and disciplinary action will be sought against those the individuals who attended the vaccination program violating the protocols.