Sri Lanka s Health Ministry on Sunday received 2 million doses of Sinopharm vaccines from China, leading to a total of 7.1 million Sinopharm doses arriving in the country since March. The vaccines arrived onboard two Sri Lankan Airlines flights which arrived at the Bandaranaike International Airport early Sunday morning, the Xinhua news agency reported. According to health officials, from these stocks, 100,000 doses each will be dispatched into Galle, Matara, Hambantota, Anuradhapura, Nuwara Eliya, Ratnapura, Badulla, and Matale Districts, while 200,000 doses each will be dispatched to Colombo and Kurunegala Districts. Meanwhile, 300,000 and 500,000 doses will be dispatched to Kalutara and Gampaha Districts respectively. According to official statistics from the Health Ministry, nearly 3 million people have received the Sinopharm vaccines in Sri Lanka to date, making it the leading vaccine to be administered among the general public.
Some of the delegates at the Intergenerational Dialogue of the Asian Parliamentarians and Youth Advocates on Meaningful Youth Engagement. Credit: APDA
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, Jul 12 2021 (IPS) - Youth advocates from Asian countries called for an overhaul of a system that excluded young people from participation in policymaking.
During an interaction with parliamentarians from 23 countries, youth representatives considered an enabling political framework to be the most crucial reform required to remove inequities.
More than 100 youth representatives and parliamentarians participated in an Intergenerational Dialogue of the Asian Parliamentarians and Youth Advocates on Meaningful Youth Engagement. The webinar was organised by the Asian Population and Development Association (APDA) and supported by United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and Y-PEER Asia-Pacific Center.
Challenge Before The New Finance Minister: Choice Between Pragmatism & Dogmatic Ideals
Dr. W.A Wijewardena
The new Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa, known in political circles by his first name Basil, is reported to have made an especially important confession on assuming duties last week.
He is said to have pronounced: “Our priority is to serve the people. We have identified all the key priorities and requirements of the general public. However, at times we will have to take certain unpopular decisions, just like how a father would for the betterment of his children and family. But these out-of-favour decisions are taken with so much honesty and consideration for the betterment of the entire nation. Therefore, I urge you all to support our efforts in these trying times”