ECONOMYNEXT — Sri Lanka’s ministry of health has received nine refrigerated trucks procured by the United Nation’s Children’s Fund (UNICEF) with funding from the government of Japan to improve delivery of vaccines to all children.
UNICEF said in a statement that the trucks were ceremoniously handed over to Health Minister Ramesh Pathirana by Ambassador of Japan to Sri Lanka Mizukoshi Hideaki and Acting UNICEF Representative in Sri Lanka Begoña Arellano.
The trucks are part of a total contribution of 3 million US dollars from 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, UNICEF said.
The nine trucks are expected to facilitate the transportation of vaccines from central to regional storehouses and onwards to health facilities. The vaccine carriers and cold boxes are already procured and distributed to the offices of the Medical Officers of Health and hospitals, the UN agency said.
“I welcome the support of the government of Japan and UNICEF to further strengthen immunisation, which is a key pillar of Sri Lanka’s healthcare system. These refrigerated trucks will boost the ability of the Ministry of Health to transport vaccines in a safe and timely manner,” Minister Pathirana said at the event.
Ambassador Hideaki said the trucks are a tangible symbol of Japan’s enduring commitment to Sri Lanka’s public health endeavors.
“These trucks will serve as vital conduits in the seamless transportation of vaccines throughout the nation, ensuring that every community receives the necessary protection against preventable diseases,” he said.
Relations between Sri Lanka, which had soured over the latter’s unilateral cancellation of a Japan-funded light rail project, have improved significantly over the last two years. UNICEF said in its statement that 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.
Arellano, the UNICEF official, noted that vaccination protects children from many preventable diseases and enables them to live a healthy life.
“Vaccines are temperature-sensitive and need to be transported in appropriate conditions. These trucks will help us reach every child in every corner of Sri Lanka with the right vaccine at the right time. UNICEF values the long-standing support of the government of Japan and the collaboration with the Ministry of Health in improving the health of all children in the country,” she said. (Colombo/Jul22/2024)