Sri Lankan Airlines has completed the first phase of the airlifting of essential medicines gifted by Indian donors to hospitals in Sri Lanka.
With health-care facilities and hospitals in the island-nation facing a shortage of crucial drugs, the cargo division of the airline, in association with ‘SriLankan Cares’, the carrier’s corporate social responsibility wing, has been transporting medical products donated since June, on its Airbus A320 and A330 flights.
A senior manager of the airline told The Hindu that the freight charges on the consignments of life-saving medicines weighing up to 3,000 kilograms had been waived. Presented by organisations and individuals in Bengaluru, Chennai, New Delhi and Mumbai, these had been distributed across Sri Lanka.
The official said that from Tamil Nadu, medicines (including antifungals, Forcan and Fresocan) had been contributed by an individual and the Rotary Club of Erode as aid to The National Hospital of Sri Lanka, while medical supplies had been gifted by Fourrts (India) Laboratories (Pvt.) Ltd. and the Christian Medical College, Vellore.
The official added that more donations of medicines and medical equipment from India and the rest of the world were expected in the months ahead.
