Defence Secretary Gen. Kamal Gunaratne (Retd.) received a consignment of 300,000 doses of Sinopharm vaccine meant for Security Forces from Chinese Defence Attaché in Sri Lanka, Senior Colonel Wan Dong at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), Katunayake yesterday.
Responding to the media, the Defence Secretary said service personnel, their families and ex-servicemen are expected to be vaccinated with the receipt of this consignment.
“Since a greater number of service personnel have been vaccinated, people could also be facilitated using the balance amount,” he said.
Gen. Gunaratne extended his gratitude to the Government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Chinese Ministry of National Defence and the Defence Minister for the timely supportive measure.
Recalling the long standing relationship maintained by the two countries, Senior Col. Dong said, “Chinese people won’t hesitate to extend their supportive hands in difficult times for Sri Lankans.”
The consignment of the vaccine is to combat the Covid-19 pandemic through solidarity, he added.
The Chinese Ministry of National Defence donated the consignment of vaccine following a request by Gen. Gunaratne to Chinese Defence Minister General Wei Fenghe, during his official visit to Sri Lanka in April this year.
Gen. Gunaratne pointed out this necessity during the bilateral discussion held between two officials, to strengthen Sri Lankan Security Forces since they are performing a dedicated role in combating the coronavirus spread.
The Sinopharm vaccine arrived in a SriLankan Airlines flight yesterday is a military assistance to the Sri Lankan Security Forces from PRC. Documents were also signed by two officials culminating the event.
Chief of Defence Staff and Army Commander Gen. Shavendra Silva, Navy Commander Vice Admiral Nishantha Ulugetenne, Air Force Chief of Staff Air Vice Marshal Prasanna Payo and Sri Lankan Defence Ministry Officials were also present.
The Ministry of National Defence, China earlier said that the President of China and the Central Military Commission attach great importance to this gift to Sri Lanka’s Armed Forces. China previously gifted 2.7 million doses of Sinopharm vaccines to Sri Lanka. With the current gift of 300,000 doses, the total quantity gifted by China will be 3 million. China and Sri Lanka have stood together and helped each other since the outbreak of the epidemic.
This gift marks a new chapter in the friendship between the two countries, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to China Dr. Palitha Kohona said in Beijing.
