June 27, Colombo: The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) says that the government has decided to provide Covid vaccination facilities to all those who go abroad for employment.

Steps have been taken by the Chairman of the SLBFE Kamal Ratwatte to implement the measure on the instructions of the State Minister of Foreign Employment Promotion and Market Diversification Piyankara Jayaratne.

After drawing the attention of the President to the need for workers going abroad for employment to be vaccinated against Covid and informing the Commander of the Army, General Shavendra Silva, the head of the National Operations Center for Prevention of Covid-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO), the approval of the NOCPCO has been obtained.

The Director General of Health Services has acknowledged that it is in the national interest to provide the Covid vaccine to migrant workers who are making a significant contribution to the national economy and will continue to do so in accordance with the Health Guidelines.

Only those who have obtained the documents required to go abroad for employment, employment contract, visa, and employment grant appointment letter are eligible for this vaccine.

Those who go abroad through a licensed foreign employment agency through that employment agency and those who go abroad by themselves should call the Bureau, submit the relevant information and obtain the registration.

Relevant vaccinations are scheduled to begin next week, and more information can be obtained by calling 1989, the Bureau said.