Ministry of Health hopes to purchase 18 million COVID jabs Ministry of Health hopes to purchase 18 million COVID jabs Written by Share: COLOMBO (News 1st): The Ministry of Health hopes to purchase 18 million COVID-19 Vaccines, a top health official said. “Adequate funds were already secured to purchase 10 million vaccines. There will not be any issues in securing funds to purchase the remaining 8 million doses,” Dr. Hemantha Herath, the Deputy Director-General of Health Services said on Saturday (Mar. 06). Dr. Hemantha Herath was hopeful that of the total amount of vaccines ordered so far, close to one million vaccines will arrive in the country in the near future.