German rabies vaccines come to Lanka’s rescue

Sri Lanka recently received a stock of rabies vaccines from the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development.

Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, on Dec. 12, received stocks worth Rs 81 mn, symbolically, from Nicolas Lamade, who heads the Sri Lanka project, funded by Germany.

Informed sources told The Island that Sri Lanka sought rabies vaccines, about six months ago, as the Health Ministry ran out of stocks, but was able to manage with a stock received from India. Sri Lanka, struggling with an unprecedented forex crisis, received quite large stocks of medicine, and other equipment, over the past three years, from foreign governments, and private donors, with China and India being the major donors, sources said. (SF)