By Chaturanga Samarawickrama  

The Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) launched the COVID-19 Smart Vaccine Certificate Portal yesterday, for the public and those who are planning to travel overseas, ICTA Chairman Oshada Senanayake said.  

He said the ICTA had introduced the initiative in collaboration with the Health Ministry and the World Health Organization (WHO).  

The Chairman requested the public to visit the on-line portal ‘https://covid-19.health.gov.lk/certificate/’to obtain a soft copy of the vaccine certificate.
“By accessing the on-line portal, one needs to enter the requested details such as National Identity Card number, Passport number, vaccination card details, proof of travel, and requested personal data. Upon successfully entering the requested particulars and approval, the user will be given a link to generate a soft copy (PDF version) of the vaccine certificate. In addition, a printout of the certificate can be presented to relevant authorities when needed, “he said.   
“The initiative will avoid the inconvenience of physically visiting the nearest MOH office to collect hard copies of the vaccine certificate. And  now you can obtain the vaccine certificate in the convenience of your own home,” Mr. Senanayake said.  

Meanwhile, addressing the media, Technology Ministry Secretary Jayantha De Silva thanked the Health Ministry and WHO for working behind the scenes to bring the smart vaccine certificate to the public, enabling a hassle-free mechanism to obtain the vaccine certificate.  

“We must maximize the use of technology to drive convenience-driven, citizen-centric services. The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed how important it is for us to embrace technology and move forward. Therefore, we will continue to enable technology-driven solutions and empower citizen services with technology, in our journey towards digitally transforming the nation. “ the ICTA Chairman added.