News
Victoria Elders’ Home residents happy to get jab
The vaccination programme underway at the Victoria Elders’ Home, Rajagiriya. Pix by Indika Handuwala
Friday’s symbolic vaccination rollout is the harbinger of the elderly vaccination programme under the COVAX initiative in the high-risk Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) areas and the Colombo and Gampaha districts
Silver-haired elderly in wheelchairs in a line, all awaiting the COVID-19 vaccine – the symbolic vaccination using the first tranche of doses sent under the global vaccine initiative, COVAX, taking place at the Victoria Elders’ Home, Rajagiriya, on Friday (March 12).
It was also a symbolic day, for the home had been established 133 years ago on March 13, 1888 and now provides succour to 136 people, 61 men and 75 women, looked after by a staff of 51.
The first to get the jab was 68-year-old E. Jayasena from Avissawella who had been in the home all his life who tells the Sunday Times, “tikak riduna” (it hurt a little), followed by 74-year-old Sepali Meeriyagolla from Nawagamuwa who has been here since she was 37 years old.
Smilingly, Sepali says that she is “very happy” that she got the vaccine and hopes everyone in the country can get it. This is her wish for all as she pays homage to the bodhiya early morn the next day, she promises.
The vaccination rollout at the Victoria Home began in the presence of Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi; State Minister of Production, Supply and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals, Prof. Channa Jayasumana; Colombo’s District Secretary Pradeep Yasaratne; Health Secretary Major-General Dr. Sanjeewa Munasinghe; Director-General of Health Services Dr. Asela Gunawardena; National Vaccines Committee Head Dr. Lakshmi Somatunga and many other high-level officials including those from the National Secretariat for Elders and UNICEF representatives.
As Minister Wanniarachchi told the first to get the vaccine: “Meka gehuwama ledey hadenne ne”, the nurse gave the jab saying “atha podi karanna epa”.
Assuring that all eligible people will be given the vaccination in Sri Lanka, Dr. Somatunga said that there are roughly 2.65 million elderly (above 60 years old) in the country. This symbolic vaccination is the harbinger of the elderly vaccination programme under the COVAX initiative in the high-risk Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) areas and the Colombo and Gampaha districts.
The Health Ministry is to vaccinate the elderly, starting with 264,000 doses of AstraZeneca COVISHIELD, along with the wardens and management looking after the elderly in these homes.
COVAX (COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access) works with vaccine manufacturers to provide countries worldwide equitable access to safe and effective vaccines once they are approved and licensed. It is co-led by GAVI (the Vaccine Alliance), the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
According to 2014 statistics there are 327 registered elders’ homes in Sri Lanka, of which 170 are in the Western Province (Colombo, Gampaha and Kalutara districts).