• We were reliably informed that the Epidemiology Unit on the directions  of higher authorities is still issuing vaccine stocks to Armed Forces
• They are conducting vaccination programmes all over the country in an ad hoc  manner, without even informing the local health authorities

The Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA), the main trade union of medical practitioners, requested Health Ministry Secretary Dr. Sanjeewa Munasinghe, to take steps to stop what it called ‘unacceptable interference’ of the Security Forces in the healthcare activities in the East.   

According to the copy of the letter released to the media by the GMOA, forcible entry of military personnel to the healthcare centres had also been brought to its notice by its representatives in the eastern province.   
“We were reliably informed that the Epidemiology Unit on the directions of higher authorities is still issuing vaccine stocks to Armed Forces, who in turn are conducting vaccination programmes all over the country in an ad hoc manner, without even informing the local health authorities.   

We firmly believe that, in a situation where we as a country have only limited stocks of vaccines, this ad hoc vaccination will disrupt the already planned vaccination schedules prepared by expert committees as requested by the President,” GMOA Secretarty Dr. Senel Fernando wrote. 

• This ad hoc vaccination will disrupt the already planned vaccination  schedules prepared by expert committees as requested by the President