John Keells supports construction of Batticaloa Teaching Hospital’s Accident and Emergency Unit

The John Keells Group (JKH) partnered the Foundation Supporting a National Trauma Service in Sri Lanka’s “Project BEAP” (Batticaloa Teaching Hospital Emergency and Accident Project) and the Ministry of Health of Sri Lanka in 2015, in a public private partnership, funding a new state of the art, three storey, 6202 square metre Accident and Emergency Treatment Unit, at the Teaching Hospital in Batticaloa.

The new facility was opened on June 17th including an operating theater named after JKH.

Nadija Tambiah Executive Vice President and Head of CSR John Keells Group said, “The need for a new accident and emergency treatment unit was recognized by all key stakeholders, given not only the limited size and lack of resources in the existing casualty room of the hospital but also, its distance from other emergency treatment centres, its history during the civil conflict and the growing needs of the people in that region.

“As a key player in the tourism sector, JKH recognizes the importance of proximate and ‘state of the art’ medical facilities to promote tourism. We were delighted to be a partner of ‘Project BEAP’ and pledge our support by way of a Rs. 26 million Platinum Sponsorship which was made through John Keells Foundation – the CSR entity of JKH, in furtherance of its objectives of promoting health in Sri Lanka.”

JKH expressed its appreciation and admiration of the initiative and drive of Dr. David Young and his team of volunteer managers and professionals who gave their time and talent at no cost to the project as well as the dedicated personnel at the Ministry of Health; particularly Dr. M. S. Ibralebbe, the Director of the hospital at Batticaloa, in completing this ambitious project. The building was designed by the renowned Sri Lankan architect Dr. Locana Gunaratna of Gunaratna Associates who was selected by tender and paid for by Project BEAP to ensure quality and conformity to agreed standards.

The John Keells Group believes that a healthy society is a productive one. Hence, through the health focus area, the Group through its CSR entity - John Keells Foundation works towards fostering healthy communities in order to enhance the wellbeing and productivity of Sri Lanka and Sri Lankans.

The John Keells Vision Project has since 2004 targeted needy individuals who lack resources and financial support to access timely eye care. The main project focuses on the eradication of cataract as the primary cause of preventable blindness in Sri Lanka. A sub project facilitates the donation of spectacles to deserving children and adults. Since 2015, John Keells Foundation has been working in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and John Keells Group subsidiary, Ceylon Cold Stores PLC, in sponsoring and supporting the Ministry’s school screening programme in the Colombo District, whereby school children are screened, vision problems identified early and timely medical attention is provided including the provision of spectacles free of charge.

The project has benefited over 13,116 persons since project launch through sponsorship of cataract surgeries while over 10,372 spectacles have also been donated to needy adults and children.