China donates 50,000 masks, COVID-19 prevention posters to three-wheeler drivers

Chargé d’Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka Hu Wei yesterday handed over 50,000 surgical masks to All Island Three-wheeler Drivers’ Union Vice President M.J.M. Hameed for thousands of its drivers. 

Additionally 35,000 COVID-19 prevention posters jointly published by the Ministry of Health, the Health Promotion Bureau, and the Chinese Embassy were also delivered to the Union by Health Services DG Dr. Anil Jasinghe.

The Chinese envoy stated that three-wheelers are the most popular transportation for the general public, and to protect the drivers from COVID-19 is to protect ourselves. All the masks and health guidelines posters delivered to these thousands of drivers represent the sincere friendship and best wishes from the Chinese people. To date, more than 73,000 test kits, 4 million masks, and 20,000 PPEs, together with many other materials, have been donated by China, which became a main source for Sri Lankan society in combating the pandemic. 

Among these, the Embassy is especially proud to have provided 189,000 masks to students across the country for the upcoming school reopening, and another 100,000 masks to the Election Commission for the coming General Election. The time-tested friendship and mutual trust between China and Sri Lanka will grow only stronger through the joint fight against COVID-19. 

Dr. Anil Jasinghe showed his gratitude to China for the continuous support since the pandemic outbreak in the island. The Director General said that three-wheelers are the main mode of transportation closest to the people of this country, and there is close contact between drivers and passengers. The Chinese Embassy understood that three-wheeler drivers need to wear masks to protect the health of both themselves and the public, so they decided to donate face masks. The Embassy, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the Health Promotion Bureau, also printed a large amount of posters which contain important information about health safety, which are very important because three-wheelers go to every street, corner and end of this country. Regardless of age, anyone can understand the important information on these posters. “I thank the Chinese Embassy for the important work done to protect the country’s health,” Dr. Jasinghe expressed. 

M.J.M. Hameed also extended his sincere thanks on behalf of the Union and its numerous members. “We are going to distribute all the face masks and health posters to more than five thousand drivers without any delay, so as to safeguard ourselves, our passengers, and the general public, especially during the coming General Election.”