India delivers consignments of medical supplies to Sri Lanka: Official

Colombo, Jun 5 (PTI) India on Sunday delivered consignments of essential medicines to a hospital in Sri Lanka to bridge the shortage of medical supplies in the island nation amidst the country’s ongoing economic crisis, according to the Indian High Commission here.

India has been providing medical supplies along with other basic essentials to Sri Lanka as it is going through its worst economic crisis.

A crippling shortage of foreign reserves has led to long queues for fuel, cooking gas, and other essentials while power cuts and soaring food prices heaped misery on the people.

On Sunday, the new consignments of medicines were supplied to the Jaffna Teaching Hospital.

“Indian aid to Jaffna Teaching Hospital. Two truck loads of life saving drugs and medical equipment were handed over by Consul General Raakesh Natraj to Director Jaffna Hospital Nanthakumar today,” a tweet from the Indian High Commission said.

During the visit by the external affairs minister Dr S Jaishankar early this year his attention was brought on the dire medical supplies situation in the island.

The Government Medical Officers’ Association, which is the doctor’s trade union, also opened up a portal seeking donations of medicines and consumables as part of their initiative to bring at least a temporary relief to the medicine shortage in such a time.

India had earlier supplied diesel to the Jaffna fishermen to facilitate their livelihood activity.

The Indian government had also coordinated humanitarian assistance of food relief from the government of Tamil Nadu.

During last month India delivered more than 25 tons of medical supplies to Sri Lanka.

Indian credit lines for fuel and essential items purchases have provided a life line to Sri Lanka in its worst economic crisis since 1948.