SLCFA appreciates Chinese Government
The Sri Lanka-China Friendship Association (SLCFA) said that it highly appreciates the friendship of the Chinese Government in assisting Sri Lanka in this time of need by donating over a million jabs of Sinopharm vaccine and also for encouraging Sri Lanka to initiate the local production of the the vaccine.
The SLCFA said in a statement that the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic is having a devastating impact on Sri Lanka and vaccination is the key for the country to return to normal in the long term. However, given that rich countries are hoarding doses of COVID vaccines, after having bought enough doses to vaccinate their entire populations three times, nearly 70 lower-income countries will only be able to vaccinate one in 10 people.
Moreover, in March 2021, richer members of the World Trade Organization blocked attempts by over 80 developing countries to waive patent rights to boost production of COVID-19 vaccines for poor nations.
These deliberate and callous moves of some Western nations have also undermined the Covax initiative to assist poor countries, it said.
At a time when Sri Lankan efforts to secure vaccines from the West failed, China has stepped up by donating vaccines. Chinese associations involved in promoting friendship also have helped donate PPEs and other equipment to fight COVID-19 directly through organisations like the SLCFA.
China has also encouraged Sri Lanka to explore the possibility of producing the vaccine in the country.
We the SLCFA, appreciate these commendable moves. China has always been a friend to Sri Lanka and the pandemic has brought the two nations closer. There is a lot of anti-China propaganda by those egged on by the same countries that have thwarted attempts by the Global South for more equity in access to the vaccines, the SLCFA said.
source http://www.dailynews.lk/2021/06/09/local/251175/slcfa-appreciates-chinese-government
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