Sri Lanka receives essential medicines from Bangladesh as a goodwill gesture

 Sri Lanka received essential medicines worth US$ 1 million from Bangladesh as a goodwill gesture this week. In a brief, simple ceremony, Bangladesh High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Mr. Tareq Md Ariful Islam made a token handover of the consignment to Health Minister of Sri Lanka Dr. Ramesh Pathirana at the latter’s office last morning. Secretary of Health Dr. P. G. Mahipala, Director General of Health Services Dr. Asela Gunawardena, DDG MSD Dr. Dharmaratne, Director (Diplomatic Affairs) Dr. Anver Hamdani, Director MSD Dr. Dias were among the Health Ministry officials present during the handover. This consignment of medicines consisting of twenty-four items has been supplied from Essential Drugs Company Limited (EDCL), the state-owned pharmaceutical company of Bangladesh, as per the requirement of the Sri Lankan government.   

Minister Ramesh Pathirana thanked the government and people of Bangladesh for the friendly gesture and also appreciated the role of the Bangladesh High Commission in deepening bilateral relations between the two countries, especially in the health and pharmaceutical sectors. The High Commissioner termed this as a demonstration of Bangladesh’s commitment and goodwill towards Sri Lanka, and also as an indication of the huge potential of collaboration the pharmaceutical and health sectors hold for the two countries.   

Bangladesh has been showing solidarity by supplying medicines to Sri Lanka in times of need. In May 2022 also, Bangladesh provided medical supplies worth US $2.3 million as a goodwill gesture. The two governments are actively considering a stronger collaboration for sourcing pharmaceutical products from Bangladesh.   

The supply of much-needed medicines is the manifestation of enduring bonds of friendship and solidarity between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. It also indicates the capacity that the Bangladesh pharmaceutical industry has gained in terms of producing high-quality, world-class medicines.