Professor Nileeka Malavige has tendered her resignation from the Independent Vaccination Advisory Committee appointed by the National Medical Regulatory Authority of the Health Ministry.
Professor Malivige is the head of the Immunology and Molecular Sciences of Sri Jayewardenepura University.
Professor Malavige has cited personal reasons for her sudden decision to resign.
Earlier Professor, A Pathmesh of the Colombo North Medical Faculty also tendered his resignation from the committee.
The other members of the committee are DrAnanda Wijewickrama. Dr Rajiv DeSilva DrKanthi Nanayakkara Professor ChannaRanasinghe, Professor Saroj Jayasinghe, DrHasitha Tissera, Dr Mahen Kotalawala and DrRohita Muthgala.
However informed sources said that the resignation came in the wake of a controversy over the use of Sinovac Vaccine in the Government Vaccination Programme. The same sources pointed out that there was no sufficient data relating to the vaccine. In the absence of ample verifications to show how the vaccine responds to the Delta variant, the expert committee presently facing a dilemma over approving the same to be used in Sri Lanka.
The Pharmaceutical Industries Minister, in the meantime, is trying to set up a facility in Kundasale to produce the Sinovac vaccine.
