GAVI commends Sri Lanka’s Immunization Programme

The Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) has commended the National Immunization Programme in Sri Lanka.

GAVI Director of Middle-Income Countries, Adriana Jimenez Cuen and GAVI Senior Manager, Strategic Partnerships, Middle-Income Countries, Sophie La Vincent yesterday met Health and Industries Minister Dr. Ramesh Pathirana at the Health Ministry.

The representatives informed the Minister about their organization’s efforts to provide free vaccines for the children’s vaccination programme in Sri Lanka from birth, since 2003, and the intervention of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization to provide vaccines for Sri Lanka at a subsidized price since 2008.

Speaking here, Health Minister Dr. Ramesh Pathirana said that the contribution of GAVI to maintain the vaccination programme in Sri Lanka is highly appreciated, and many vaccine-preventable diseases can be suppressed or prevented in Sri Lanka. Aid from GAVI is helping to keep it at a very low level.

Appreciating the contribution of this alliance to properly maintain the free health service in Sri Lanka, the Minister said that he requests the necessary support whenever the country needs it.

The Minister told the delegates that the national vaccination programme in Sri Lanka is leading the health service at an excellent level and the World Health Organization has named Sri Lanka as a country that provides excellent health service at a low cost.

The GAVI gives opportunities to all countries in the world to equitably procure vaccines for preventable diseases and the representatives of the alliance will visit the country for two days to strengthen the existing relations with Sri Lanka. More attention has been paid to the monitoring of storage and cold storage for the vaccines.

Additional Secretary (Public Health) of the Health Ministry Dr. Lakshmi Somatunga also attended the meeting.

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