Union Assurance leads dengue prevention and control pilot project

Dengue is widely spreading across the country and the authorities are continuously putting their effort to combat and control the situation. As a responsible organisation Union Assurance is leading the efforts to come up with an effective and efficient plan that will control the spread of the disease across the island. Together with the Public Health Department of the Colombo Municipal Council UA has launched a pilot project on dengue control. This is the first time such an initiative was embarked upon in Sri Lanka. 

The first initiative under this program took place on 5 February in Kirulapana centred on the Siddharthapura Housing Scheme. This program was activated with both long-term and short-term goals in mind under the guidance of the Public Health Department of the Colombo Municipal Council. The main goal of this program is to increase awareness and instil a more robust knowledge base amongst both children and adults living in this locality. 

One of the key activities that took place through this program was the division of the Siddharthapura locality in to five key zones, and the establishment of Children’s Councils in each of these zones. The children who are part of these councils will take a leadership role in changing attitudes and behaviours that will eventually lead up to the eradication of the dengue disease. Each of the zones will have the opportunity to win awards and prizes based on the performance of each of the zones. Additionally for schoolchildren aged between 5 and 18 years, art competition, speech competitions, drama competitions and quizzes will be conducted and awards will be handed out to the top performers. 

At the same time, another locality approximately 1-2km from Siddharthapura will be selected for the implementation of a more regular dengue eradication program. At the end of a year-long series of interventions, the progress of the two localities will be compared and successes will be evaluated. District (04) Health officer and staff, community organisers, leaders of children’s committees, leaders of Women’s Cooperative Societies, Chief of the district offices, and Kirulapone environmental police, Chief Health Education officers, Representatives from Union Assurance, and officers form Public Health Organisation will be represented in the steering committee in charge of this program.

Expressing his views on the program, General Manager Marketing and Distribution Dharshana Amarasinghe stated, “Since a long period of time Union Assurance has been providing support for dengue eradication programs led by governmental organisations as well as other parties. We see this as our responsibility as an organisation that works with and for the community. We are committed to the betterment of our communities. We look forward to lending our resources and leadership to programs such as this in the future.” 

“It is extremely important to implement dengue eradication activities while at the same time working towards changing attitudes and behaviours that would make communities safer. With such as orderly and organised program, we will glean invaluable insights that will help us fight this epidemic in the future. I am extremely grateful to Union Assurance for helping make such a program that will bring such value to the people of this country, possible. I am certain that we will continue to receive such strong support from the company in the future,” added Chief Medical Officer of the Public Health Department of the Colombo Municipal Council, Dr. R.L. De S. Wijeyamuni. 

Union Assurance Life’s expressed goal of creating healthier and secure communities is in line with their overall ethos of building partnerships with their customers that is based on the delivery of transparency, respectfulness, and convenience. The company will continue to deliver on its promise of trust, with more programs designed to foster healthier communities in the future. These efforts will be further strengthened under the banner of Union Manushyathwaya, and Union Assurance believes that its contributions to society will continue to go from strength to strength as result.