A stock of essential medicines worth USD 39.6 million was donated to the Ministry of Health through US-based Healthline Lanka with support from Catholic Medical Mission Board.
U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung handed over the consignment to Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella on Tuesday at the Ministry of Health.
Among the donated medicines are 32 types of medicines for infectious diseases, Cholesterol medications, anesthetics, medicines for arthritis, diabetes and painkillers.
Speaking at the event, Minister Rambukwella thanked all the friendly countries who have supported and helped Sri Lanka at a difficult time.
The minister said that since the time of the Covid epidemic even before the economic crisis, all countries have been friendly and helped Sri Lanka in every possible way.
He also said that efforts will be made to reduce the time it takes to clear the medicines received from Customs and priority will be given to the medicines received as aid.
Minister Rambukwella added that often their files and language problems affect this process and by working in a friendly manner with the countries, many of those problems can be avoided.
Ambassador Chung said as a friendly country, the U.S. will work to provide more aid to Sri Lanka in the future and that it is essential to speed up the process of getting the aid released from the Customs.
