Colombo, April 18 (Xinhua): A fresh batch of medical aid donated by China arrived at the Bandaranaike International Airport on Friday evening, as the government of China and its people stood firmly with Sri Lanka in the country’s battle against the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Chinese Embassy said in a statement that the donation included 20,000 test kits, 10,000 N-95 masks, 100,000 surgical masks, 10,000 protective clothing, 1,000 goggles and 50,000 surgical gloves which arrived onboard a Chinese Eastern Airline flight.
The embassy said the plane departed Shanghai with no passengers but full of medical supplies as well as love and solidarity from China to Sri Lanka.
While departing from Colombo, the embassy said 172 guests boarded the return flight to Shanghai.
The Chinese government has in recent weeks sent medical aid to Sri Lanka, which was distributed to the health workers who were in the front lines to battle the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, in a recent statement on his official Twitter account, thanked the Chinese government for its continued assistance in the battle against the coronavirus and also appreciated the Chinese Eastern Airlines for flying the relief packages into the country.
China- Lanka Friendship Association also donates
The Sri Lanka Overseas Chinese Association, on Friday donated medical supplies which included PPE gowns and surgical masks, to the Sri Lankan government, to support the island country in its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
The donation, which included 1,050 PPE gowns and 38,000 surgical masks, was handed over to Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa at a ceremony in Colombo.
The goods were shipped onboard a China Eastern Airlines who offered free shipping to Bandaranaike International Airport from China.
Prime Minister Rajapaksa thanked the Chinese government and its people for the donation of medical supplies. The Sri Lanka Overseas Chinese Association had provided assistance to consolidate and strengthen the friendship between the two peoples during many hard times in Sri Lanka.
President of Sri Lanka Overseas Chinese Association Zhang Xudong thanked Prime Minister Rajapaksa for supporting China in its battle against COVID-19 and added that China now strongly supported Sri Lanka in its fight against the pandemic.
He said to support Sri Lanka, the Sri Lanka Overseas Chinese Association launched a donation initiative to all overseas Chinese residents in Sri Lanka who actively contributed towards the Sri Lankan society and all donations made by them were used to purchase the medical supplies.
The aid materials will be distributed to various hospitals by Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Health.
Sri Lanka presently remains under an islandwide curfew as over 230 people were infected with COVID-19 while seven deaths have been reported.
Over 100 people remain under medical observation in the designated hospitals across the country.
(Photos by Xinhua)
