COVID vaccination program

Quite a lot of publicity has been given in the print media, by the Colombo Municipal Council, about its ambitious COVID-19 vaccination program.

I am writing this letter as I witnessed and experienced the thoroughly disorganised manner in which the COVID vaccination program was conducted at the MOH Office, Wellawatte. It was a good example of the inefficient manner in which the state sector was functioning. 

Initially, announcements were given in our area, around Havelock City and Mayura Place, Colombo 6, on Poya day (Friday, 26 February) with the aid of loudspeakers, inviting residents over 60 years to come to the MOH Office between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. the following day, (Saturday, 27 February) to get the vaccine. 

I together with my wife, both over 60 years of age, too went there on Saturday morning, around 8:30 a.m. with the expectation of getting vaccinated. However, to our amazement, we were told by the Policemen on duty, that the vaccine will be given only to those who had obtained tokens, which are reported to have been issued around 5 a.m. on the same day.

That requirement about obtaining a token was never mentioned when the loudspeaker announcements were given. That caused a great deal of inconvenience to the senior citizens who had gathered at the MOH Office on Saturday morning. Pleas of those who were present to allow them to meet responsible officers of the MOH Office were turned down by the Policemen on duty. They seem to be adhering to the strict instructions given to them by the MOH Office to prevent anyone, without tokens, from entering the vaccination centre.   

Therefore, on the following day (Sunday) we went there again. The queues had already been formed on the 3rd floor of the building where the Wellawatte Market is located. Though we went around 5:30 a.m., we were told that those at the beginning of the queue had been there from around 4 a.m. to obtain a token. 

The queue, which was winding at several places of the third floor, due to the huge crowd gathered there, was for people belonging to all ages, both young and old. It was not restricted to those over 60 years, as announced. Issuance of tokens began at 7:30 a.m. It was not an easy task for the Officer who distributed token, with Police protection, as the people who had already waited in the queue for nearly 2-3 hours were losing their patience. 

Recipients of the tokens were required to join a second queue to obtain a printed registration form to provide their written consent to get vaccinated.

The third queue was for those people who had completed the registration form to wait for their turn to go to the 4th floor, to get vaccinated. There was a huge crowd in the vaccination area, where details from the forms filled were being entered into computers. There were no doctors to speak to the people to ascertain their illnesses. 

All in all, the MOH Office, Wellawatte displayed their lack of ability to conduct the program minimising inconvenience to those who had gathered there, especially the senior citizens.

It is hoped that they would review the processes and take remedial measures to facilitate smooth execution of the task they are entrusted with.  

Nimal Luxshman 

Colombo 6