Dead end for private sector vaccine sourcing?

By Charumini de Silva

Efforts by the private sector to source COVID-19 vaccines for their staff appear to have come to a dead end raising fresh concerns. 

Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC), which was spearheading a private sector initiative with other industry lobby groups, had apparently abandoned its efforts as the Government has indicated that it is unable to make a separate allocation at this point in time.

This was the third attempt by the private sector to invest in vaccines for their employees to support the administration of COVID-19 vaccines.

“We have been assured that the private sector requirement will be incorporated within the national vaccination program and that there is no possibility of securing a separate allocation at this point in time,” sources told the Daily FT on the basis of anonymity.

With Government indication yesterday, private sector firms expressed their disappointment in their continuous attempt to procure and help expedite the administration of vaccines to their employees engaged in apparel, plantation and other businesses.  

The private sector requirement was mainly for the employees that were waiting for their second jab of the Oxford/AstraZeneca.

According to private sector sources, they had even proposed to the Government an investment to secure one million doses for the general public so as to expedite vaccination of the wider community.

Some of these discussions were held with top level health authorities and the COVID-19 Task Force.

“There was a great response from the private sector to get vaccines for their employees, to ensure their safety, as well as to continue businesses uninterrupted. Infection in export-oriented businesses has a large impact on the overall economy. We wanted to be a supportive private sector to the Government in this crisis situation,” sources said.