U.S. Embassy Charge d’Affaires Martin Kelly and Secretary to the Ministry of Health Dr. S.H. Munasinghe commemorated the donation of critically needed emergency supplies, including pulse oximeters, protective goggles, examination gloves, and KN95 masks.
The donation arrived at Bandaranaike International Airport on Saturday.
As the United States continues to stand with the people of Sri Lanka in the battle against the COVID-19 surge, the airlifted supplies were donated by the American people at the request of the Sri Lankan Government, the U.S. Embassy in Colombo said today (08).
“The United States and Sri Lanka have worked closely together to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic since its outset,” said U.S. Embassy Charge d’Affaires Martin Kelly.
“We recognize the serious personal toll of the pandemic. At the Government’s request, we’re providing these urgently needed supplies to the Ministry of Health to ensure they reach those in need as fast as possible,” he added.
The shipment of these emergency relief supplies follows the White House announcement last Thursday that the United States will make available nearly 7 million vaccine doses for countries in South and Southeast Asia, including Sri Lanka.
Since March 2020, the United States has provided USD 6 million, plus an in-kind donation of 200 ventilators, to control the spread of COVID-19, address the urgent health needs of the Sri Lankan people, and ultimately save lives.
The Embassy said that this assistance has reached millions of people in all 25 districts and nine provinces of Sri Lanka to mobilize critical supplies and expertise to support the Sri Lankan Government’s response to the pandemic, adding that this funding will also help to mitigate the pandemic’s negative economic impacts and help the country recover.
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