From left: Hemas Hospitals Wattala Director/General Manager Dr. Lasantha Karunasekera, Hemas Hospitals and Laboratory Chain Managing Director Dr. Lakith Peiris, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church, Palliyawatta Parish Priest Rev. Fr. Ajith Kamal, Medical Officer of Health Dr. Lalith Halambarachchige, Divisional Secretary Wattala P.D.T.C. Rajika, and PHI of Palliyawatta Malith Edirisingha

Private healthcare provider Hemas Hospitals has launched the 'Deewara Diri Savi' mega donation drive to support and empower the fishing community along the western coast of the country, whose livelihoods were gravely impacted by the marine destruction caused by the X-Press Pearl ship disaster.

Under 'Deewara Diri Savi,' Hemas Hospitals will oversee the donation of complete dry ration packs to 818 families in the Wattala fishing community, who have now lost their sole source of income for survival and is undergoing extreme distress due to the implications caused by COVID-19 pandemic together with the fishing ban imposed due to the X-Press Pearl disaster. Further, Hemas Hospitals Wattala is also offering free OPD consultation services to these families to ensure that their wellbeing and access to healthcare is secure and continued during this period.

"Our mission, values and corporate culture guide our actions as we strive hard to deliver on the promise of making healthful living happen to communities across the nation. 'Deewara Diri Savi' was founded upon this ethos as we care for, uplift and empower Sri Lanka's fishing community struggling to make ends meet due to the mass implications and destruction caused to our marine resources with the X-Press Pearl disaster. As a responsible healthcare leader, we will continue to invest our resources and take swift action in supporting this community who add so much to our economy as they transition through this deeply difficult, critical time," Hemas Hospitals and Laboratories Managing Director and Association of Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes President Dr. Lakith Peiris stated.

The mega donation program was coordinated with the support of the Rev. Fr. Ajith Kamal, Parish Priest of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Palliyawatta, who spearheaded the coordination on behalf of the fishing community in the Palliyawatta, Dikowita and Awarakotuwa areas. The program was also joined by the Divisional Secretary Wattala P. D. T. C.  Rajika, Medical Officer of Health Dr. Lalith Halambarachchige, PHI of Palliyawatta Malith Edirisingha and Hemas Hospitals and Laboratory Chain Managing Director Dr. Lakith Peiris along with several representatives from Hemas Hospitals. The event was conducted under the strict directives issued by the Ministry of Health and under the supervision of the region's Public Health Inspector.

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