The Government of China has donated another consignment of 1.6 million doses of the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine to Sri Lanka. The two SriLankan Airlines flights UL869 and UL865 carrying the vaccine arrived at the Colombo Katunayake International Airport at 5.30 a.m., July 27.
Meanwhile Sri Lanka to purchase another 4 million doses of Sinopharm vaccines in the first week of August.
Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong officially handed over the vaccines to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat, July 27. In addition to these vaccines, a stock of cylinders has also been donated. The vaccines were handed over to the Ministry of Health to be given to people over the age of 30 years in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. 72% of the vaccines used in the vaccination process in Sri Lanka is Sinopharm.
President Rajapaksa said that he highly appreciated the support provided by the Chinese Government for the control of COVID – 19 by donating 600,000 doses of Sinopharm vaccines on March 31, 500,000 on May 26 and 1.6 million doses were received July 27. The President pointed out that by the end of August, all those over the age of 30 will be vaccinated and the activities of the tourism industry will be able to commence from September.
Therefore, the Chinese people are invited to visit Sri Lanka again, the President further said.
Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi, Douglas Devananda, Secretary to the President P.B. Jayasundera, Senior Advisor to President Mr. Lalith Weeratunga, Foreign Secretary Admiral Jayanath Colombage, and the Political Officer of the Chinese Embassy Luo Chong was also present on the occasion.