Page 53 - Management Digest Udyama Vol 1 Isuue 2
P. 53
New FM takes control, but Accelerated Vaccination Drive: health staff and armed forces Sri
economic woes reduce overall Lanka managed to implement
policy stability: Though the Government an accelerated vaccination drive
implemented lockdowns from by Jul 2021 with the support
SLPP brings in President’s time to time in order to control the of 24-hour vaccination centres.
brother, Basil Rajapaksa as spread, from April 2021 onwards Accelerated vaccination drive on
New Finance Minister for the a higher concentration was placed certain days saw over 500,000
Government at a critical juncture to order the required number of doses been administered bringing
where the Govt is struggling vaccine and to fully implement a Sri Lanka among the countries
economically to raise revenue. vaccination drive. Though it took that have implemented one
A number of decisions and fiscal a bit of time to implement the of the fastest vaccination
issues in the Govt is creating a program, with the support of the programs.
politically unpopular climate for
the Govt, questioning the overall
policy stability. A couple of issues
that were critical were the delay in
importing vaccines, fertilizer ban,
teacher salaries. The gravity of the
policy instability forced the Govt
into a cabinet reshuffle which may Chart: Vaccination reaching near 60% of population
not have solved the unpopularity.
LOOMING
UNCERTAINTIES HIT
ECONOMY: HIGH RISK
(Downgraded)
4 Wave hits the island nation:
th
Sri Lanka is currently facing the
4th Wave of Covid-19 with the
daily number of new positive
cases exceeding 5,000 on certain
days. Hospitals and Intermittent
Centres are overflowing with
patients. The country went
through the 1st wave in Apr-Jun
2020 period while the 2 and 3
rd
nd
waves were in Nov 2020-Mar
2021 and May 2021-Jul 2021.
However, the 4 wave started
th
in Aug 2021 even before the Fully Vaccinating Population:
completion of the 3 wave. The
rd
4 wave has hit country badly As at 8 Sep, the vaccination vaccinated at their houses itself
th
th
with a massive spread in the has reached near 60% of the through a mobile vaccination
Delta variant of the virus. Due population who have at least campaign. The country has
to the Delta variant of Covid-19 received one dose of the vaccine commenced vaccinating 20-30
has been spreading at an ultra- while over 40% has reached age group, where over 40% has
fast pace resulting Sri Lanka both doses. In relation to the been vaccinated with the 1 dose.
st
being one of the highest in terms 30+ population, Sri Lanka has In the final phase, Sri Lanka plans
of daily new cases per million vaccinated 100% of the 30+ to vaccinate the 12-20 population
among the regional peers. With population with 1 dose, while as well. With this vaccination
the spread the death toll surged over 80% is vaccinated with both drive, it is planned to fully
with over 200 deaths on a daily doses. The elderly population who open up the economy by the
basis. were not able to travel were 4Q2021.
September 2021 51