
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar flew an IAF C130J from New Delhi to Colombo, loading it with 3 tonnes of anti‑tuberculosis tablets and injectables for the Sri Lankan health ministry.
Sri Lanka has reported a yearly TB incidence of 68 cases per 100,000 people, with rural districts like Mannar seeing the highest burden; the shipment arrives just weeks before the unit's opening.
The emergency unit, funded by a 600‑million‑rupee grant from India and inaugurated on September 16 by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Minister Nalinda Jayatissa, will equip local patients with rapid diagnostics and treatment.
Health officials say the new drugs will immediately expand the national TB program's capacity, while the Sri Lankan government plans to schedule a joint health‑aid workshop with Indian counterparts next month to train staff on TB care.