Brightness Action: Sino-Lanka friendship restores sight to 120 patients

China and Sri Lanka completed another step along the path of mutual cooperation by successfully conducting a program that conducted 120 cataract surgeries free of charge for underprivileged Sri Lankan patients.

Organized by the Yunnan Provincial People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the Association for Sri Lanka-China Social and Cultural Cooperation (ASLCSCC), the project was jointly implemented by the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Yunnan, and the Lanka Hospitals Corporation PLC.

It was part of the ongoing Silk Road Charity and Brightness Action campaign which has restored sight to patients across the region since it was launched in 2014.

A 10-member medical team from the Yunnan hospital arrived in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo on May 13. Together with their local partners, they worked tirelessly to make the program a success.

The eye surgery welfare program was held from May 15 to 17, when a ceremony was held at the Lanka Hospital in Colombo attended by officials from both China and Sri Lanka.

Visitors from China included the governor of Yunnan province Wang Yubo, Director General of the Yunnan Provincial Foreign Affairs Office Yang Mu and President of the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University Zeng Zhong, alongside the Chinese ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong.

Also in attendance were Sri Lanka's State Minister of Health Seetha Arambepola, ASLCSCC President Indrananda Abeysekara, CEO of Lanka Hospitals Deepthi Lokuarachchi and Deputy CEO of Lanka Hospitals Lasantha Karunasekara, as well as other embassy and hospital staff.