The Management Committee of the COVID-19 Healthcare and Social Security Fund met at the Presidential Secretariat today (15).

The Committee is headed by Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka Prof. W. D. Lakshman. Its Secretary is Chief Financial Officer of the Presidential Secretariat Ravindra J. Wimalaweera and 16 other members including Secretaries to the Ministries and other heads of organizations comprise the committee.

The Fund continues to receive donations from various parties, says the President’s Media Division (PMD). The committee has discussed future activities related to the measures to be taken to meet the expectations by establishing this Fund by the President.

Provision of medicine, medical research equipment, providing financial needs for health security facilities including capacity building, ensuring the safety and well-being of employees of the health sector and essential service providers and provision of basic needs of children, women, low-income families, senior citizens, disabled persons and other vulnerable groups are among the main objectives of the Fund.

The Fund is also tasked with the responsibility of coordination with the WHO, UNICEF, UNDP, the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and major development donor communities and agencies of Sri Lanka to raise funds.

With corporate and individual donations and direct donations, the COVID-19 Healthcare and Social Security Fund’s balance has reached Rs. 655 million.

Secretary of Defence, Major General (Retired) Kamal Gunaratne handed over a donation of Rs.3 million collected by the Rakna Arakshaka Lanka Limited and Rs. 4 lakhs collected by South Korean branch of the ‘Api Wenuwen Api’ Fund to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Donations of Rs. 07 million by the NDB Bank, Rs. 6.7 million by the Lanka Hospitals Corporation, Rs.10 million by the Commercial Bank, Rs. five million each by the Colombo Dockyard PLC and Mr. D.J.A. Samarasinghe, Rs. 2.5 million by the Urban Development Authority, Rs. one million each by the Institute of Personnel Management Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka Institute of Advanced Technological Education and Saman Industries and Suppliers Pvt., Ltd and Rs. 2 million by the Vocational Training Authority of Sri Lanka made to the Fund.

Additionally, Rs. 5 lakhs by the BASF Lanka Pvt. Ltd., Rs.100,000 by Mr. W. Manjula Botheju resides in Nugegoda, and Rs. 200,000 by Mr. Ranjan De Silva and Rs.60,000 by Sri Lanka Police disabled War Heroes Association donated to the Fund.

All the donations will be credited to the special account opened under the number   85737373 at the Corporate Branch of the Bank of Ceylon. Local, as well as foreign donors, have made their contributions to the Fund. Donations to COVID – 19 Healthcare and Social Security Fund have been exempted from taxes and foreign exchange regulations. Deposits can be made through cheques or telegraphic transfers.

Further details can be obtained from Mr. K.B. Egodawele, Director General (Administration) of the Presidential Secretariat via 011 – 2354479 / 011 – 2354354.