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Six Uva hospitals upgraded to meet Covid challenge with local and international support
At a time of national emergency, in early June 2021, Senior Medical Officer, Dr. Upul Ranasinghe of the Bandarawela Hospital saw a rising wave of Covid patients in the Uva Province which the hospitals there were ill equipped to handle.
He reached out to Dr. Nalaka Mendis (Emeritus Professor, Colombo University) who immediately responded by calling on Dr. Naj Nagendran (Foundation of Goodness- USA) and gathering together a like-minded collective of humanitarians from Sri Lanka and overseas to respond to the challenge.
They included Mr. Manik Jayakumar (Q Trade Teas & Herbs), Mr. Felix Stephen ((Volunteers to Assist Children with Disabilities Limited), Mr. S. Skandakumar (Oru Paanai Trust- SL & USA) , Mr. Kushil Gunasekera (Foundation of Goodness) and Dr. Erosha Premaratne (Australia Sri Lanka Medical Aid Team) to raise urgently needed funds.
With the number of Covid related deaths rising by the day and patients sleeping on the floor of over-crowded wards and corridors outside, the initial focus of the group was to quickly upgrade Covid facilities at the Bandarawela Hospital where the bed capacity was increased from 50 to 300, Kushil Gunasekera of FOG said.
Having acted fast to complete the first phase, the group was overjoyed to hear Dr. Roshan Piyarathna, Covid physician at Bandarawela Hospital, say “Thanks to your donations the hospital was able to treat and discharge over 1,500 positive patients”.
Encouraged by this success and supported by those who rose to the occasion of enhancing Covid handling capacity at Bandarawela, more funds were raised to extend the same help to five more Uva hospitals – Haputale, Haldumulla, Diyatalawa, Koslanda and Welimada.
A total of over Rs. 26 million was made by this group to upgrade the hospital facilities in the Uva not only made a strong impact on the treatment delivered during the pandemic under life or death comditions, but will also hold the hospitals in good stead long after the pandemic is overcome.
Doctors at the Koslanda Hospital noted that this was a significant donation in the 100-year history of the hospital which had been struggling to provide the best possible care with insufficient equipment and technology. This was made possible by private individuals and organizations assisting disadvantaged rural communities to rise to the pandemic challenge.
This project was delivered so successfully because of the support from the College of Internal Medicine lead by President Dr. Harsha Sathischandra who took on the responsibility to disburse the funds and oversee the purchase of equipment and its Treasurer, Dr. Priyamali Jayasekera’s voluntary role, in spite of the heavy demands on her time by her official duties. The fund utilization and equipment purchases were completed with absolute transparency, Gunasekera said.
Dr. Janitha Tennekoon- Provincial Director, Dr. Leelananda Gallage- DMO Bandarawela, and Dr. Roshan Piyarathna- physician in charge of the Covid unit, facilitated the process at the Bandarawela Hospital.
Dr. U M M Pushpalatha, MD, Welimada Hospital, Dr. Ranjith Amarakone – MS, Diyatalawa Hospital, Dr. Sanjeeva Samaraweera – DMO, Haputale Hospital, Dr. Vichithra Rathnayake – DMO, Haldumulla Hospital and Dr. Niroshan Thaminidu – DMO, Koslanda Hospital were invaluable in coordinating these efforts and successfully completing this endeavour.
We record with sadness and regret the passing away of one of our amiable donors Eddie Wijesuriya, during this exercise.
When difficulties arise, at most times there is a light at the end of the tunnel and one of the positive outcomes of this disastrous pandemic was that rural hospitals got upgraded unexpectedly, enhancing their facilities, which means that such hospitals especially in remote areas will be better equipped now to serve the needs of disadvantaged communities- a setback turned into a blessing, Gunasekera noted.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
