London Stock Exchange Group backs initial COVID-19 donation with additional funding
The London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) this week announced that it has donated an additional Rs. 3 million to a project to convert the Kattankudy Base Hospital into a COVID-19 isolation and treatment hospital.
The project is being facilitated by UNICEF. The Kattankudy Base Hospital was selected on the recommendation of the Ministry of Health (MoH), as it is centrally located between the three districts in the Eastern Province, namely Ampara, Batticaloa, and Trincomalee, and also due to its close proximity to the Batticaloa Teaching Hospital and its existing infrastructure. The refurbishment project was successfully completed and handed over to the MoH on May 28, the company said in a media release.
To minimise the risk of cross-contamination from Coronavirus (COVID-19) for emergency front line health workers, LSEG additionally donated Rs. 2.8 million for the purchase of 10,000 hand sanitizers and 10,000 surgical face masks. Procured by UNICEF, these items have been handed to the Family Health Bureau (FHB).
In addition, LSEG also announced the donation of Rs. 3.3 million to UNICEF supporting the purchase of an ICU ventilator for adult and paediatric use in support of Sri Lanka’s ongoing response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in Sri Lanka. This was in response to an urgent requirement outlined in the Government of Sri Lanka’s emergency plan.
Shanaka Abeywickrama, Head of Marketing and Communications, Sri Lanka and Group Technology, London Stock Exchange Group said, “At LSEG, one of our core values is Partnership, and we believe that this proactive approach to collaboration is the best way to ensure that we move forward together as one global community. As such, we are proud to have partnered with UNICEF and the Ministry of Health to continuously support its emergency response efforts to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
In April 2020, LSEG donated Rs. 5 million towards purchasing essential medical supplies and materials, working closely with the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services, UNICEF and World Health Organisation (WHO).