Another consignment of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines is due to arrive in Sri Lanka on Saturday (August 07), Japanese Ambassador Akira Sugiyama stated.

At the personal request of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the Prime Minister of Japan Yoshihide Suga and the Government of Japan have decided to supply 1.456 million doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to Sri Lanka.

The Ambassador said that the vaccines are donated as assistance to fulfill the need for the second dose of AstraZeneca in Sri Lanka, and in recognition of the long-standing friendship between the two countries.

He made these remarks officially handing over the consignment to the President at the Presidential Secretariat this morning (August 02).

The President expressed special thanks to the Japanese Prime Minister, the Government of Japan, and the Ambassador of Japan on behalf of the Government and the people of Sri Lanka, for donating the stock of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines.

The first consignment of the vaccines, a total of 728,460 doses, was delivered to Sri Lanka last Saturday (July 31).

Accordingly, the administration of the second dose of AstraZeneca commenced yesterday (August 01) at 20 selected centers in the Western Province.

The Japanese Ambassador and the Country Representatives of the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF commended the entire vaccination program in Sri Lanka, the commencement of the vaccination drive within a few hours of receiving the vaccine consignment, and the President’s direct involvement, guidance and leadership in the vaccination program.

The WHO Representative in Sri Lanka, Dr Alaka Singh, UNICEF Representative Emma Brigham, the First Secretary to the Embassy of Japan, Chiharu Hoshiai, Second Secretary Seiya Ninomiya, Secretary to the President P.B. Jayasundera, Senior Advisor to the President Lalith Weeratunga and Foreign Secretary Admiral Jayanath Colombage were also present.