Public Forced to Buy Covishield Jab for Rs 5,000 – GMOA

The GMOA said they had received confidential information to the effect that the public had been forced to purchase the second dose of the Oxford AstraZeneca Covishield vaccine at a cost of Rs 5,000. GMOA Secretary, Dr. Senal Fernando, charged several complaints to this effect had been received by them, whereby a certain firm had demanded the said amount ahead of administering the vaccine.

He emphasised that allowing an outside party to fleece the public in this manner at a time when the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic is raging is most unfortunate, as scores of people who had received the first dose of the vaccine are still waiting for the second dose, with no hope in sight. Dr. Fernando said complaints in this connection had been referred to subject Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi and Director General of Health Services, Dr. Asela Gunawardena.

The GMOA Secretary said as a responsible trade union they had also urged both Wanniarachchi and Gunawardena to probe the complaints. He added at a time when the Health Ministry has still not taken a final decision on allowing the private sector to sell COVID-19 vaccines, a firm attempting to fleece the public so brazenly has to be investigated urgently and the firm must be exposed.

(Source: Ceylon Today – By J.T. De Silva)

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