Donation of 1.6 million doses of Sinopharm vaccine arrives from China

A consignment of 1.6 million doses of the Sinopharm vaccine donated by China arrived in the island this morning (27).

The consignment was flown to the country via two SriLankan Airlines flights. This is the largest consignment of Sinopharm vaccines donated by the Chinese government to Sri Lanka. 

The consignment was accepted at the airport by Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi, State Minister Channa Jayasumana and senior officials of the Health Ministry. 

The donated vaccines were officially handed over to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Presdential Secretariat this morning by China's Ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhen Hong. A stock of syringes for the vaccines was also donated by China. 

The vaccines have been handed over to the Health Ministry for the vaccination of those over the age of 30 in the north and east, the President's Media Division (PMD) stated. It added that 72% of the country's vaccination drive is comprised of the Sinopharm vaccine. 

In total, the Chinese government has donated 2.7 million doses of the Sinopharm vaccine to Sri Lanka, and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa expressed his gratitude to China the assistance it has given to eradicate COVID-19, the PMD added. 

President Rajapaksa also expressed confidence that all persons above 30 years in the country will be vaccinated by the end of August, enabling the country to fully open up to tourists by September. The President invited Chinese tourists to visit the country again from then onwards. 

Pix by T.K.G, Kapila