February 26, 2021
By Mohamed M. Sesay
As the two countries Celebrate 50th bilateral anniversary, consolidating long bilateral relationship the People’s Republic of China has delivered an aircraft load of 200,000 COVID 19 Sinopharm Vaccines to Sierra Leone.
The Chinese Ambassador Hu yesterday made the delivery of the consignment of 200,00 doses and two hundred and one thousand syringes to the Sierra Leone government through the Ministry of Health and Sanitation.
In his handing over address, His Excellency the Chinese Ambassador Hu said it was a great privilege and pleasure to have handed over the Covid-19 Vaccines donated by the government of the People’s Republic of China to the government of the Republic of Sierra Leone.
Ambassador Hu noted that many countries across the globe are extremely constrained in order to have access to the covid-19 vaccines. He added that the supply of the covid-19 vaccines could by no means meet the high demand across the board at the moment, adding that despite the overwhelming shortage of supply of the Covid-19 Vaccines for sale, he said the Government of the People’s Republic of China saw the need to donate two hundred thousand (200,000) covid-19 vaccines manufactured by Sinopharm.
“This donation of the vaccine is one of the country’s actions in honoring His Excellency President s Xi Jinping’s pledge of making China’s Covid-19 vaccine a global public good. It also vividly consolidates the strong friendship between China and Sierra Leone. The Safety and efficacy of this donated vaccines have been scientifically proven and meets the standards of China’s National Medicine Product Administration and those of the World Health Organization (WHO). I firmly believe that this donation will help beef-up Sierra Leone’s fight against Covid-19 and contribute to the final victory of the pandemic”, said Ambassador Hu
Ambassador Hu further encouraged the government of Sierra Leone to take good care of the donated items and equally put it into good use, while asserting that the vaccines are very delicate and precious.
He continued that His Excellency Xi jinping has solemnly made it clear that China would contribute to the realization of the availability and affordability of COVID-19 vaccines in developing countries.
He added that as requested by the World Health Organization, China has developed ten million doses of Chinese vaccines with the view of meeting the urgent needs of developing countries. Ambassador Hu furthered that China has also provided vaccines assistance to other friendly countries.
Ambassador Hu acknowledged that the fight against the covid-19 pandemic is a race to save lives and therefore encouraged the international communities to join hands in rejecting vaccines nationalism, addressing vaccines deficit, printing the immunization gap, and promoting fair and reasonable deployment of vaccines.
Ambassador Hu further called on all nations to come together and respond to the fight against covid-19 with solidarity and concerted coordination like never before. He also appealed to all countries to replace division with unity and combat all kind of false information or any attempt to politicize the fight against convid-19 pandemic.
He added that China Does not pursue any Geo-political goals in its international corporation and this applies to the deployment of the COVID-19 vaccines. He stated that China does not calculate any economic benefit nor political condition in the corporation, and therefore assured all and sundry that China wishes to make the Covid-19 vaccines truly the people’s vaccines.
He reassured that that China would also continue to work with all parties.
Ambassador Hu use the occasion to reaffirm the fiftieth (50th) anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Sierra Leone based on a win-win objective for mutual good.
He concluded that in this special year of 2021, China would honestly implement the importance of the consensus reached by the President Xi Ji ping and His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio on the development of the bilateral relations between the two countries, adding that China would continue to work with Sierra Leone in order to alleviate the comprehensive and strategic corporative partnership to a the highest level for the betterment of people of the two countries.
The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Corporation who also doubles as the Official Spoke Person for the National Covid-19 Emergency Response Center ( NaCOVERC) Solomon Jamiru, affirmed that indeed the Republic of Sierra Leone and the People’s Republic of China are celebrating a wonderful fifty years of diplomatic relations. He added that the relationship between Sierra Leone and the Peoples’ Republic of China has been very special, very cordial and promised that it would continue to evolve from strength to strength, from peace to peace, from good health to good health and from prosperity to prosperity.
He expressed his profound thanks and appreciation to Ambassador Hu adding that, he could subscribe to the very special relationship between the Ambassador and his team and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Corporation.
He therefore, reassured the Ambassador that Sierra Leone would occupy a central place in Ambassador Hu’s heart and that of the hearts of the people of China.
He stated that Sierra Leone is receiving two hundred thousand doses of Sinopharmn Vaccines and a good quantum of syringes from the People’s Republic of China at the point when as of Wednesday the 24th of February 2021, Sierra Leone has recorded three thousand eight hundred and eighty cumulative covid-19 confirmed cases.
He added that when Sierra Leone recorded its index case of COVID-19, the country had only a thirty (30) bed facility at the 34 Military Hospital as a treatment center. He disclosed that the establishment of that thirty bed facility was made possible through the kind gesture from the People’s Republic of China. He also acknowledged that the country was able to confirm its index case through the lab test which was made possible through the kind gesture of the People’s Republic of China.
Solomon Jamiru further stated that if Sierra Leoneans could look across the broad spectrum of the relations with China from Health to education, from agriculture to other facets of the economic and developmental sphere of the country, he asserted that China has occupied the crucial and instrumental pillar.
He noted that as the country continues to fight COVID-19, the government would also continue to collaborate with the Chinese Medical Team.
Making his statement on behalf of the Minister of Health Dr. Austin Demby, the Deputy Minister of Health and Sanitation Dr. Augustin Anthony Sandy also expressed his heart felt gratitude to Ambassador Hu and the Government of the People’s Republic of China for what he considered as a wonderful donation. He added that China has been with Sierra Leone for far too long, and also alluded to the National Stadium and the Chinese Friendship Hospital located at Jui that were constructed by China.
He recalled during the Ebola outbreak in 2014, when China was very supportive to Sierra Leone and the same spirit is exhibited at this time of COVID-19 pandemic.
He further stated that China has been really working in consonance with the adage which says, ‘’a friend in need is a friend indeed.’’
