Presidential Secretariat of Sri Lanka

Covid-19 Fund

“COVID – 19 Healthcare and Social Security Fund” that has been established by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa last Monday to strengthen the mitigation activities aimed at controlling the spread of COVID-19 virus in the country and related social welfare programme, have been vested with a set of wide responsibilities Local as well as foreign donors can make their financial contributions to the COVID – 19 Healthcare and Social Security Fund.Donations will be exempted from tax and foreign exchange regulations. Deposits could be made through cheques or telegraphic transfers. This Fund will be managed by a 17-member committee headed by the Central Bank Governor Prof. W.D. Lakshman. The Secretary to the Committee is the Chief Financial Officer at Presidential Secretariat Ravindra J Wimalaweera. Among the office bearers are also Secretary to the Treasury S.R. Attigala, Defense Secretary (Rtd) Major General Kamal Gunaratne, Director General Health Services Dr. Anil Jasinghe, Acting IGP CD Wickramarathna, Director General Sri Lanka Customs Major General G. Wijitha Ravipriya and Lanka Sathosa Chairman Nushad M Perera.The committee is tasked to utilize this Fund to invest in, Securing the necessary purchasing in medicines and testing kits as well as increasing the healthcare capacities; Ensuring the health and safety of those in the health sector and in the essential services; Financial needs of children, women, low income earners, elders, physically challenged and other vulnerable sectors; Integrating public health systems, rural and remote dispensaries, testing and treatment centers and health care systems to reduce the risk of infectious diseases.

Current State

1,827,314,924.65

LKR

Corporate Branch of the Bank of Ceylon under the account number

85737373

The Fund has been set up to meet the following objective

  1. To provide immediate funding requirement of Director General, Health Services to meet all expenditure connected with COVID-19 related healthcare facilities including drugs, testing equipment and capacity expenses.
  2. To meet expenses connected to healthcare and safety of health sector employees and all logistic providers working to provide essential public delivery services.
  3. To provide basic essentials to children, women, low income, elderly, differently abled and vulnerable people.
  4. To mobilize required funding to strengthen public healthcare systems, including village and remote area dispensaries, testing and treatment centers, family healthcare system, to further consolidate Sri Lanka’s public healthcare system to reduce country risks to communicable diseases.
  5. To assist indigenous medicine, sanitary product manufacturing and distribution, promote research to use resources, knowledge and skills to innovate new health and sanitation products based on local raw materials.
  6. To promote research and innovation using Sri Lanka’s medical and scientific knowledge and experience to develop protective dresses and sanitation products to global market.
  7. To promote healthy living with organic food consumption, valuing traditional, yet rich living styles, through media and educational programmes.
  8. To coordinate fund raising with WHO, UNICEF, UNDP, World Bank, ADB and Sri Lanka’s major development partner community and agencies based on best guidelines for resource allocations, harmonized national procurement system and governance practices.

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