COLOMBO : Chinese Ambassador Qi Zhenhong and Madam Jin Qian donated on Friday, Oct.14, essential medicines worth Rs 5,2 million to the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children.
The envoy also inspected its nine storey main building built with Chinese aid in 2000 and the MRI scanner gifted by China in 2014.
The Ambassador also handed over a new batch of urgently needed medicine worth Rs.2 million to the hospital. Meanwhile, another Rs.3.2 million worth medicine was donated to the Colombo North and South Teaching Hospitals.
This donation with a total value amount of RMB 100,000 was made by China Friendship Foundation for Peace and Development, in collaboration with Sri Lanka China Society. Jinith De Silva, President of Sri Lanka China Society and Dr. G. Wijesuriya, Director of Lady Ridgeway Hospital accompanied the visit and donation.
Ambassador Qi Zhenhong full speech at the ceremony: “Dear Mr. Jinith De Silva, President of Sri Lanka China Society, Dear Dr. G. Wijesuriya, Director of Lady Ridgeway Hospital, Dear doctors, nurses, children and parents, Ayubowan! Vanakkam! Good morning! It brings me very warm feelings and strong attachment to visit the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children on Friday,Oct,14.
This hospital, along with other China-aid projects including the BMICH, Superior Courts Complex and Nelum Pokuna etc., have already become landmarks of Sri Lanka, and China-Sri Lanka friendship. I am very pleased to see the 9-floors main building constructed with Chinese assistance, and the MRI scanner donated by China continue to provide vital support to the hospital, benefiting children patients and their parents for over 20 years. Today, on behalf of China Friendship Foundation for Peace and Development, I am honored and delighted to hand over urgently needed medicines worth 100,000 Yuan (about 5.2 million Rupees) to Lady Ridgeway Hospital, and Colombo South & North Teaching Hospitals, which might provide further help to Sri Lankan kids in need of treatment. I would like to avail this opportunity to extend my sincere thanks to Sri Lanka China Society for coordinating the donation. Since China and Sri Lanka established diplomatic relations 65 years ago, our two countries and peoples have always been understanding and supporting each other. The COVID-19 pandemic and domestic economic crisis have brought severe difficulties to Sri Lanka, and its public health sector is especially faced with unprecedented challenges. We feel for our Sri Lankan brothers and sisters, and will continue our support to the health sector of Sri Lanka to the best of our capacity: Firstly, China has been the biggest donor and supplier of PPEs, test kits and vaccines to Sri Lanka throughout the pandemic, which largely helped the island to win the battle against COVID-19. Secondly, to tackle the CKDu (chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology) in Sri Lanka, China has handed over the National Nephrology Hospital in Polonnaruwa, the Joint Research and Demonstration Center for Water Technology in the University of Peradeniya, and 8 kidney disease mobile labs to the Ministry of Health of Sri Lanka and brought into operation in the last year. Thirdly, various batches of medicines worth 22.5 million RMB (about 1.2 billion LKR) donated by China under its 500 million RMB emergency humanitarian assistance have already arrived in Sri Lanka and largely relieved its medicine shortage. In the coming months, more medical supplies with a total value of 5 billion rupees will be handed over to Sri Lanka and delivered to hospitals and patients across the island. Moreover, the biggest China-aid project so far, a brand-new National Hospital OPD Center in Colombo which can accommodate 6,000 patients daily, will been soon opened to Sri Lankan people. To conclude my speech, I reiterate that at this moment of difficulty, we will stand by your side, hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder, heart to heart, and jointly overcome the current challenges to contribute more to the well-being of our two peoples. I would like to extend my sincerest greetings and best wishes to all the health workers in the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children! And wish all pupils good health and a speedy recovery!”
