BOC partners Helpage Sri Lanka to conduct Medical and Eye Camp in Getamanna
As a part of paying tribute to seniors in the country, the Bank of Ceylon joined with Helpage Sri Lanka, the Sri Lankan counterpart of Helpage International, to assist senior citizens of Getamanna in the southern province by conducting a medical and eye camp.
This project was sponsored as a corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative to uplift social conditions and boost livelihood development under the bank’s sustainability policy. Supporting the healthcare of the needy, with special reference to senior citizens, who have toiled away their youth and still assist unseen and unnoticed the economy in every possible way they can. By this initiative the Bank together with Helpage looks forward to provide some financial relief through providing much needed free medical/eye checkups and provide spectacles for free. This programme will be carried across all provinces at twelve selected locations in the future ensuring many more senior citizens the privilege of a better life which they deserve.
This event was held on July 22, 2018 with the patronage of Bank of Ceylon Director and Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Ranel T. Wijesingha.
The camp was organised by the bank’s Assistant General Manager Southern Province Wasanthi Hettihewa and with the participation of Chief Marketing Officer Indunil Liyanage, Assistant General Manager Marketing Priyal Silva with their teams along with officials of Helpage Sri Lanka.
Situated within the Beliatta divisional secretariat, Getamanna village was selected to hold the very first medical and eye check-up camp under this programme. The programme attracted over 200 senior citizens and many of them were directed for further examinations after preliminary checkups. Identified patients who require eye sight corrections will be given spectacles for free once those specs are modified to suite their needs. Assistance of a Doctor from the nearest government hospital was arranged and the camp was held at the Getamanna Wijaya National School. A team of medical professionals and the Helpage’s own fully equipped mobile vehicle specially designed to carry eye check-ups was also arranged at the camp. Later on, these identified patients will be directed to the nearest government hospital for treatment based on the results of their medical reports. Those identified with eye-cataracts will be directed for cataract surgery conducted by Helpage at their own treatment center in Wellawatta, Colombo, free of charge. The Helpage Sri Lanka has also obtained the guidance from the Divisional Secretariat’s officials/grama Niladhari to organise this camp.
The 2018 Esala festivals of the Kataragama Kiri Vehera and the Ruhunu Kataragama Maha Devalaya are being illuminated by Swadeshi Industrial Works PLC under the theme of ‘Swadeshi Khomba Aloka Pooja Sathkaraya’.
The ongoing events began on July 13 and will end on July 27, 2018, and Swadeshi is sponsoring the Aloka Pooja was for the 17th consecutive year.
Swadeshi Chairperson Amari Wijewardene said: “As a Sri Lankan owned company, we consider it a duty to safeguard the culture and traditional heritage of Sri Lanka by supporting activities such as this annual Aloka Pooja.
Deputy Chairperson and Managing Director Chulodhara Samarasinghe explained that Swadeshi illuminates places of worship in the country for the benefit of all worshippers and also to educate the younger generation on the importance of safeguarding the country’s heritage. The illumination is followed by a colourful cultural pageant which highlights Sri Lankan traditions and history.
According to the Mahavamsa, Kiri Vehera was built by King Mahanaga in a commemoration of the Buddha’s visit to Kataragama Kihiri Uyana to deliver dharma during his third visit to Sri Lanka.
The Kataragama Devalaya was built by King Dutugemunu as a fulfillment of a vow made to safeguard the national interests of Sri Lanka.
In 2013, the ‘Sri Dalada Maligawa’ of historic Dambadeni Raja Maha Viharaya,where the sacred tooth relic was kept and the ancient murals were renovated by Swadeshi Chairperson Amari Wijewardene to bring back its past glory.