Qatar Charity (QC) has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Sri Lankan Ministry of Health to supply medicines to public hospitals under the ministry.
The project, according to an official statement from QC, aims to benefit 47,000 patients focusing particularly on chronic diseases such as cardiovascular and respiratory conditions.
A ceremony was held by QC's Sri Lanka office to mark the commencement of medication distribution, attended by Sri Lanka's Health Minister Dr Ramesh Ramitha, Director-General of Health Services Asela Gunawardena and representatives from the Ministry of Public Security and General Administration of Non-Governmental Organisations.
Mahmoud Abu Khalifa, QC's Sri Lanka office director, emphasised the project's significance amid the health ministry's challenges in medicine supply enhancing healthcare services for patients.
He highlighted the project as a generous donation from the Qatari people to support public health and promote humanitarian values.
In parallel with the medication supply project for health ministry hospitals, QC is preparing to establish a primary healthcare centre in an underserved area of Sri Lanka. This initiative aims to improve early screening and preventive treatment services for communicable and non-communicable diseases, particularly chronic diseases like cardiovascular conditions. Additionally, QC plans to provide medical beds to hospitals facing shortages of medical supplies.
QC is also gearing up to cover costs for cataract surgeries for low-income individuals, amidst challenging conditions in Sri Lanka's healthcare system, which is struggling to provide primary and secondary care services and essential medications, particularly for cardiovascular, respiratory diseases, and other non-communicable diseases, which contribute to an 80% annual mortality rate. About 35% of the population under 35 suffers from hypertension.
