Italy grants Rs.125 mln to Sri Lanka for emergency medicine imports

Italy is granting Sri Lanka around Rs.125 million (Euro 341,115) to Sri Lanka for the purchase of emergency medicine and medical equipment following reports of a shortage of medicines and equipment due to a scarcity of foreign exchange.

The Italian Embassy in Colombo said on Monday the contribution will be channeled through the Italian Bilateral Emergency Fund at the World Health Organization (WHO) and will allow payment to suppliers abroad directly as per planned procurement by Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Health in line with supply-chain management processes.

“This emergency aid measure comes within the framework of the traditional strong partnership between Italy and Sri Lanka. In the past, Italy has always been ready to support Sri Lanka whenever the country was in need, including in the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami. In addition, Italy has supported initiatives aimed at strengthening the agriculture sector (ICEI/Institute for International Economic Cooperation project in the Moneragala area and ‘Small holder productivity enhancement in Sri Lankan agriculture’ project, currently under discussion) and providing professional training to young Sri Lankans,” the embassy statement said.