Former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has called on the government to seek the advice of medical professionals on how to control the spread of the coronavirus.
The Former Prime Minister has said that although the government continues to administer vaccines, not all will be able to receive their vaccinations within this year.
“The people of this country need around 30 million COVID-19 vaccines. It is difficult to bring down that number of vaccines this year,” said Wickremesinghe in a statement,
“Therefore, there is a need to think afresh and formulate a new program for the COVID pandemic. People who have received the first dose of AstraZeneca should be given the second dose. The government must ensure that the vaccines necessary for these people are purchased.
“Do not sacrifice people’s lives by focusing on the economy,” said the Former Prime Minister adding that this, not a “Bahiravakanda”. ( a place to sacrifice the lives of the people to demons.)
He noted that the Sri Lankan rupee has depreciated because the Central Bank printed money.
If we invested the necessary US $200 million last November, there would not have been a vaccination shortage in the country, he said while noting that the virus spread further as Indian tourists were brought to the country by a Government concerned only with increasing foreign exchange.
The President and the Cabinet should exercise the powers vested in them by the Constitution and make necessary plans to control the spread of the infection, without sidelining the Cabinet of Ministers.
“They must take the necessary steps to ensure the health and safety of the country,” emphasised the Former Prime Minister.
