Chinese Ambassador says China with Lanka all the way in fighting pandemic; pledges priority aid

Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong says that the Chinese government is giving priority to providing all assistance to control the Covid-19 epidemic in Sri Lanka. Accordingly, steps will be taken to provide grants and necessary assistance to Sri Lanka in the future, he said.

He was speaking at a special discussion with Minister of Health Pavithra Wanniarachchi at the Chinese Embassy yesterday (09th) morning.

The Minister of Health said that it was a great consolation that the Chinese government undertook to provide 80% of vaccines required by Sri Lanka to make the vaccination programme a success and strengthen the country. She said that the Chinese Government had extended its support to the Government of Sri Lanka in strengthening the program to save the lives of people infected with Covid-19 and to control the virus by providing essential medical equipment to Intermediate Treatment Centres and Hospitals.

She also thanked the Chinese Government and people as the Minister of Health on behalf of the Government of Sri Lanka and the people of Sri Lanka for their support to the control of the Covid virus in Sri Lanka from the outset, further strengthening the long standing international relations between the two countries.

Dr. Asela Gunawardena, Director General of Health Services, Dr. Sunil de Alwis, Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Health and Prof. Vajira Dissanayake, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Medical Council were also present on the occasion.