A RECORD NUMBER OF 500 UNDERPRIVILEGED ELDERS BENEFITTED
Helpage Sri Lanka (HASL) recently conducted a free one-day Mobile Medical and Eye Camp for a record number of 500 underprivileged Senior Citizens over 55 years at the Sri Wijayarama Temple premises, Chilaw. The funds to conduct the medical camp had been allocated by a philanthropist in Chilaw the late Don Sirisena Weerasuriya.
According to family members, the late Sirisena Weerasuriya had allocated a large sum of money in his legacy for donation to the Helpage Eye Hospital to perform free Cataract Surgeries for underprivileged Senior Citizens in the country.the Hospital is located at Sinsapa Road, wellawatte. the family members of the late Don Sirisena Weerasuriya also assisted Helpage to conduct this medical and eye camp.
The medical and eye camp performed 289 eye screenings and 150 medical screenings during the day, while 237 beneficiaries received bifocal spectacles. Meanwhile, 09 recipients received reading glasses free of charge and 21 persons will be sent to Helpage Eye Hospital, Wellawatte (Opposite Savoy cinema) for free Cataract Surgeries.
Helpage Executive Director Samantha Liyanawaduge lauded the invaluable donation made by the family members of the late Don Sirisena Weerasuriya to improve the vision of a needy section of society. The Hospital has completed over 37,000 free Surgeries at the Helpage Eye Hospital during the past 34 years.
A relative of the late Mr. Weerasuriya, Hemapali Weerasuriya highlighted her uncle’s last wish to help needy citizens in the country to improve their health conditions and social activities. She said the importance of performing Cataract Surgeries to underprivileged elderly citizens through her late uncle’s legacy since a surgery cost around Rs. 40,000 or more in private hospitals and the high cost of these surgeries cannot be borne by underprivileged citizens in the country.
A group of medical specialist including Dr Sarath Gamage assisted the medical and eye camp.