22 July 2024 11:53 am Views - 906
The trucks have been procured by UNICEF with funding from the Government of Japan.
The trucks were handed over by Mizukoshi Hideaki, the Ambassador of Japan to Sri Lanka and Ms. Begoña Arellano, Acting UNICEF Representative in Sri Lanka during a ceremony held at the Ministry of Health and they were received by Minister of Health Dr. Ramesh Pathirana.
The UNICEF said the trucks are part of a total contribution of USD 3 million from the Government of Japan that funded cold chain equipment, including large, walk-in cold rooms to store vaccines at safe temperatures, portable vaccine carriers and temperature monitors, which have already been handed over to the Ministry of Health intermittently from 2021 to date.
The trucks will facilitate the transportation of vaccines from central to regional storehouses and onwards to the health facilities. The vaccine carriers and cold boxes are already procured and distributed to the offices of the Medical Officers of Health and hospitals.
Over the years, the Government of Japan has made significant contributions to support the joint efforts of UNICEF and the Ministry of Health in addressing both the long and short-term health needs of children.