Chinese ambassador to Sri Lanka – Mr. Qi Zhenhong had handed over a new batch of urgently-needed medicine donation worth LKR 2 million to the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children (LRH) yesterday (14).
The ambassador also inspected the hospital’s 9-storey main building and MRI scanner gifted by China.
Another 3.2 million LKR medicine was donated to the Colombo North & South Teaching Hospitals.
This donation with a total value of RMB 100,000 was made by China Friendship Foundation for Peace and Development, in collaboration with Sri Lanka China Society. Mr. Jinith De Silva, President of Sri Lanka China Society and Dr. G. Wijesuriya, Director of Lady Ridgeway Hospital accompanied the visit and donation.
Speaking at the ceremony, the ambassador said, “Since China and Sri Lanka established diplomatic relations 65 years ago, our two countries and peoples have always been understanding and supporting each other.”
“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,” he added.
“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 be soon opened to Sri Lankan people,” ambassador Qi further announced.
Following a 02-day papal conclave, American Cardinal Robert Prevost has been elected as the new Pope yesterday (May 08) evening, Vatican time.
At 69, Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected as the 267th Pope, taking the name Pope Leo XIV.
He becomes the first American to ascend to the papacy in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church.
Pope Leo XIV now assumes spiritual leadership of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.
The election follows the death of His Holiness Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21 at the age of 88 at his residence in Casa Santa Marta, Vatican City, a day after participating in Easter Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica.
The Department of Meteorology says that showers or thundershowers will occur at most places of the island after 1.00 p.m. today (May 09).
Showers may occur in Western province and in Puttalam, Galle and Matara districts in the morning too.
Fairly heavy rains above 50 mm are likely at some places in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Northern and North-central provinces.
The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.
Misty conditions can be expected at some places in Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Ampara and Polonnaruwa districts during the morning.