Courtesy Adaderana

Sri Lanka on Wednesday (March 31) received a consignment of 600,000 doses of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines donated by China.

According to Ada Derana correspondent, a special flight chartered by the national carrier SriLankan Airlines (UL869) carrying the China-made vaccines touched down at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake at around 11.28 am.

The vaccine consignment was ceremonially handed over to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the airport premises.

State Ministers Prof. Channa Jayasumana and Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle, Ambassador of China to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong and several other officials were also present at the airport premises to receive the vaccine stock.

Chinese nationals residing in Sri Lanka are expected to be given priority under the first phase of Sinopharm inoculation drive in the country.

Administration of the Sinopharm jabs to these Chinese nationals will thereby commence next week at four locations; Colombo, Kandy, Puttalam and Hambantota, Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Sudath Samaraweera said.