Chinese Ambassador Qi Zhenhong officially handed over a batch of anti-Covid vaccine; Sinopharm donated by the Chinese government to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo this afternoon (31).
The consignment of vaccines was presented to Sri Lanka upon request by President Rajapaksa to his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.
Sinopharm has been manufactured by a biotech pharmaceutical company based in the Chinese capital, Beijing.
SriLankan Airlines flight UL869 carrying 600,000 doses arrived at the Bandaranaike International Airport at 11.28 am today (31).
The vaccine was stored in the aircraft’s special cold storage compartment and will be stored in the Airport premises until its delivery to the Central Vaccine Storage Complex of the Ministry of Health using refrigerated vehicles.
Vaccination of Chinese nationals in Sri Lanka will commence on Monday. The National Medicines Regulatory Authority says that the vaccination of Sri Lankans will begin after a study by a committee of experts.
Chinese Ambassador Qi Zhenhong and Minister of State Prof. Channa Jayasumana signed the documents pertaining to the donation of 600,000 vaccine stock.
Ministers Dinesh Gunawardena, Prasanna Ranatunga, State Ministers Sudarshani Fernandopulle, Tharaka Balasuriya, Chinese Special Envoy, Principal Adviser to the President Lalith Weeratunga, Foreign Secretary Admiral Prof. Jayanath Colombage, Health Secretary, Retired Major General Dr. Sanjeewa Munasinghe, Chairman of Airport and Aviation Services Major General G.A. Chandrasiri, several Secretaries to Ministries and Heads of Health sector were also present at the occasion.
