The positron emission tomography (PET) scanner, purchased with the funds collected from the public through a fundraising campaign supported by Manusath Derana, is currently in the process of being installed at a newly-built building of the Apeksha Hospital in Maharagama.
The installation process is likely to be concluded within the coming days and will then be utilised by the hospital for cancer patients.
An initiative was launched by the National Cancer Institute in Maharagama (renamed as Apeksha Hospital) in 2016 to seek public assistance for the purchase of a PET scanner.
An essential requirement for the National Cancer Institute in Maharagama, the PET Scanner allows doctors to detect the early onset of disease before it is evident on other imaging tests.
The campaign received the full support of Manusath Derana, the CSR initiative of TV Derana, to achieve its target of Rs. 200 million to purchase the PET Scanner. The target was achieved in June 2016.
Manusath Derana Project received a request from the director of the cancer hospital on March 16, 2016 requesting assistance for the PET Scanner fund, which was only Rs 6 million in total at the time.
However, donations started to flood in and the target of Rs 200 million was achieved within a short span as a result of the dedication of a number of individuals, including generous donors and media organisations.
