JAT Holdings in CSR venture to prevent deaths during pregnancy
Saturday, 21 June 2014 00:00
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In a noble gesture to prevent maternal deaths during pregnancy from occurring in Sri Lanka, JAT Holdings will shortly commence construction in its role as the principal sponsor, of the estimated Rs. 30 million, state-of-the-art JAT Training and Simulation Centre to be set up under the auspices of the College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists of Sri Lanka (SLCOG.)
JAT will fund this laudable venture via Permoglaze paints of UK manufactured under licence in Sri Lanka by JAT Holdings. “When you buy a litre of Permoglaze paint we make sure that Rs. 10 will be contributed towards this noble cause of saving the mothers of our nation,” said JAT Holdings MD Aelian Gunawardene.
“The Sri Lanka College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists state that although Sri Lanka’s maternal mortality rate of 35 for every 100,000 live births (CIA World Fact Book) when compared with that of most other developing nations is highly commendable, we cannot rest on our laurels but must endeavour to reduce it to zero. An achievable goal when social-conscious corporate structures such as JAT render financial and yeoman support to visionary experts in the medical field such as the good doctors of SLCOG,” said Gunawardene.
Continuing in its support as part of its multi-faceted corporate social responsibility projects, the ultimate goal of JAT together with the SLCOG is not merely to reduce to zero the number of maternal deaths but also to educate and empower those concerned in self-help methods and to prevent the destructive aftermath such deaths invariably leave in their wake; namely dispossessed children who are often abused and exploited, overburdened grandparents and more often than not absentee fathers. All of which combine to shred the social fabric of our society that has for centuries been deeply matriarchal.
According to JAT Holdings Director Promotions Joyce Gunawardene, the new JAT Training and Simulation Centre will be equipped with the latest robotic mannequins from USA, who can mimic any complication that a pregnant mother can have. “This will be set up at Model Farm Road, Colombo 8, under the guardianship of SLCOG Past President Prof. Hemantha Senanayake.
Generous donors who also wish to be associated with this worthy cause could send in their contributions in the form of a cheque drawn in favour of ‘Save the Mothers Fund’, Account No. 75303475 at the Bank of Ceylon, Regent Street Branch, Colombo 10. The cheques could also be posted to the Sri Lanka College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists, 112, Model Farm Road, Colombo 8, Sri Lanka.
