Dettol pledges to refurbish 10 teaching hospitals

• Project commences with Polonnaruwa teaching hospital refurbishment   

Dettol, the Reckitt Benckiser brand that advocates a mission for health, has taken it upon themselves to refurbish and renovate 10 teaching hospitals in Sri Lanka and the project proposal for this assignment was handed over to the Minister of Health Maithripala Sirisena recently in Polonnaruwa. Simultaneous to this handing over, the company commenced refurbishment activities in the Polonnaruwa teaching hospital.   

Teaching hospitals in Polonnaruwa, Kalubowila, Balapitiya, Kurunegala, Ragama, Matara, Chilaw, Negombo, Kegalle and Peradeniya will be refurbished under this project where facilities and amenities of these hospitals will be upgraded and renovated where necessary to meet the present day standards.  

Elaborating on this assignment, Rahul Murgai – Managing Director, Reckitt Benckiser said, “Dettol is a brand that understands the importance of family healthcare, and the wellbeing of the family depend on the correct choices they make in their day-to-day life. Dettol is synonymous with a healthy life around the globe, so we made health our mission for corporate social responsibility initiatives. This provides us a direct way of utilising our expertise in disinfection, hygiene and first aid, to create a better environment in the country.”  Tanzim Rezwan – Director Marketing, Reckitt Benckiser commenting on the Polonnaruwa project stated, “The Polonnaruwa district has a population of about 450,000 and most of them are actively and directly involved in a crucial economic activity of this country, which is paddy cultivation. Therefore, it is important to facilitate them with adequate healthcare facilities so that their economically productive time is not diminished. This was the main understanding in selecting Polonnaruwa for our first project.”

This hospital refurbishment project is just one amongst many community projects carried out by Dettol under the umbrella of ‘Mission for Health’. In addition, Dettol conducts workshops and maternity clinics to educate new mothers on their personal hygiene and baby care with the intention of minimising infant and child deaths and infections.

The workshops for school children aim at arming them with knowledge of good healthcare practices so that they will grow up to be healthy and productive adults. Teachers and parents are also included in these programs, so that the message is carried across the society about healthy living.

As the leading health care brand in the country Dettol is always present when disaster strikes, providing care and protection within potentially infectious environments. The company not only provides its products to those affected to stay healthy, but it also conducts health checks and provides treatment to the affected.  The most recent such activity too was carried out in Polonnaruwa district for the flood victims. Company sources said that Dettol will continue with their social responsibility to improve the country healthcare sector in the future as well.   Dettol is one of the leading brands of Reckitt Benckiser and has stood for ‘Trusted Protection’ in Sri Lanka for over five decades. Dettol began its journey in Sri Lanka as an antiseptics liquid, but over the years, extended to a number of product categories and currently markets – soap, hand wash, hand sanitiser, plaster, shower gel and shaving cream.