Seva Vanitha Unit donates Rs.4 Million for Seruwila Hospital

The Seva Vanitha Unit of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently made a donation of Rs. 4 million to the Ministry of Health for the construction of a 20 bed Ward for women and children at the Seruwila Hospital in Trincomalee, making its total contribution to the Seruwila hospital to be more than Rs. 6 million.

On 16 December, Mrs. Deepthi Bogollagama, President of the Seva Vanitha Unit of the Foreign Ministry handed this donation to Hon. Nimal Siripala de Silva, Minister of Healthcare and Nutrition at a ceremony attended by Rohitha Bogollagama, Minister of Foreign Affairs and members of the Seva Vanitha unit of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The construction of the ward is carried out by CECB under the supervision of the Ministry of Healthcare and Nutrition.

The Seva Vanitha Unit has recently made several donations to the Ministry of Health for the benefit of the rural hospitals. In 2008, it donated medical equipment to the intensive care unit of the Nikaweratiya Base Hospital that included a defibrillator, C-Pap machine and a CTG machine. The total contribution by the Seva Vanitha unit to the Nikaveratiya Hospital stands at Rs. 5 Million.

During 2009, the Seva Vanitha Unit of the Foreign Ministry undertook several humanitarian and development projects utilizing the financial contributions made by its sub units attached to the Sri Lanka Missions abroad.

In April, the Seva Vanitha Unit donated food supplies worth approximately Rs. 2.5 million for the benefit of civilians displaced in the north that included 25,000 packets each of samaposha, biscuits, nutritional drinks and 20 large water storage tanks. In response to an appeal made by the Mayor, the Seva Vanitha recently made a financial donation worth Rs. 4 million for the renovation and upgrading of libraries and reading rooms in the Sri Jayawardenapura Municipal council area. The arrangements are made to obtain books for these libraries from the Asia Foundation under their “Books for Asia” project. The Seva Vanitha Unit has earmarked to fund a housing scheme for service personnel and for the purchase of artificial limbs for civilians affected by the conflict.

At the recent Annual General Meeting held on 15 December, Seva Vanitha unit decided to expand its assistance for the welfare of the employees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In addition to the regular contributions made in aid of medical and other humanitarian needs of the members of the staff, the Seva Vanitha Unit decided to provide vouchers for the purchase of shoes and establish a scholarship scheme for higher education to benefit children of employees of the Foreign Ministry staff.

- Asian Tribune -