By Kelum Bandara

A contingent of 15,000 Sputnik V vaccines was to be delivered to Sri Lanka from Russia during the wee hours of today for the initiation of inoculation process with it in the country, a State Minister said yesterday.

Prof. Channa Jayasumana, the State Minister of Production, Supply and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals, said he would be going to the airport to receive the stock.   

Sri Lanka has placed orders for Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine. Of the stock, 200,000 vaccines are expected to be delivered this month, 400,000 next month, 800,000 in July and 1.2 million later. The State Minister said the initial delivery of 15,000 vaccines was meant for the initiation of the vaccination process with Sputnik V.  
He said the Russian manufacturer needed to monitor the vaccination process.  

“We have to change the vaccination criterion in this instance. Once taken out from the refrigerator, the jabs should be administered within two hours. For that purpose, we should work out logistical arrangements. Russia will monitor it. They will deliver the stocks in stages later depending on our success during the initiation process,” he said. 

• Russia will monitor the process and deliver the stocks in stages later depending on our success during the initiation process
• The State Minister said the initial delivery of 15,000 vaccines was meant for the initiation of the vaccination process with Sputnik V