Qatar Charity (QC) has signed an agreement of understanding with the Ministry of Health in Sri Lanka to provide medicines to public hospitals affiliated with the Ministry of Health, as the number of beneficiaries of this project is estimated at 47,000 patients. Qatar Charity's office in Sri Lanka organized a celebration to mark the supply of necessary medicines and the start of distribution to public hospitals, especially medicines related to chronic diseases such as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. HE Minister of Health of Sri Lanka, Director General of the Ministry of Health Asela Gunawardena, and representatives of the Ministry of Public Security and the General Administration of Non-Governmental Organizations participated in this ceremony. In this context, Director of Qatar Charitys office in Sri Lanka Mahmoud Abu Khalifa highlighted the importance of implementing the project in light of the crisis that the Ministry of Health is experiencing in the supply of medicines and health services, espec ially medicines for chronic diseases, as the project contributes to improving health services provided to patients. He said that this project comes as a generous donation from the Qatari people to the Sri Lankan people to enhance public health and consolidate the values of humanity. For his part, the Sri Lankan Minister of Health extended his sincere thanks to the Qatari people, the Qatar Charity , and the Embassy of the State of Qatar to Sri Lanka for their generous donation and this valuable contribution of medicines. He said that during the economic crisis that the country experienced, many donors contributed to supporting the Ministry of Health, including the State of Qatar. In a related context, and in parallel with the implementation of the project to supply medicines to the Ministry of Healths hospitals, Qatar Charity (QC) is preparing to launch a health center for primary care in one of the marginalized areas in Sri Lanka, which will contribute to improving early screening services and preventive treatment for communicable and non-communicable diseases, especially chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases. Qatar Charity will also work to provide medical beds to hospitals that suffer from a shortage of medical supplies. This comes at a time when Qatar Charity will begin preparing to cover the costs of eye operations to remove cataracts for low-income people. It should be noted that the health system in Sri Lanka suffers from difficult conditions with regard to the provision of primary and secondary care services and the provision of medicines, especially medicines for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, as the annual death rate reaches 80 percent as a result of non-communicable diseases resulting from cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and their different, complications, and that 35 percent of the population under 35 years of age suffers from blood pressure. Source: Qatar News Agency