China Merchants Charitable Foundation sponsors cataract surgery campaign of Rs. 8m

From left: China Merchants Group Executive Vice President Hu Jianhua China Merchants Group President and Director Li Xiaopeng, Chinese Ambassador Yi Xianliang, Healthcare and Indigenous Medicine Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne, Health Ministry Secretary Anura Jayawickrama, College of Ophthalmologists Sri Lanka President Dr. Pradeepa Siriwardena and CICT Chief Executive Officer Nelson Liu with MOU

A MoU was signed between China Merchants Charitable Foundation (CMGF) and the Sri Lanka College of Ophthalmologists to offer 150 free cataract surgeries valued at Rs. 8 million via the ‘C Blue Restore Sight’ project.

CMGF is the corporate social responsibility arm of China Merchants Group (CMG); the parent company of the Colombo International Container Terminals (CICT) which manages Colombo’s third container terminal.

The move will pave the way for the donation of 150 foldable hydrophobic single piece/multi piece intraocular lenses and cartridges for 150 cataract surgeries to be performed at the National Eye Hospital, Colombo.

The consignment will be supported by the services of two international doctors who will assist the surgeons of the National Eye Hospital in the conduct of the surgeries through a charity camp.

Speaking at the formal signing of the MoU, CMG President and Director Li Xiaopeng said that the Sri Lanka project titled ‘C Blue Restore Sight Project’ would be one of the China Merchants Charity Foundation’s global projects in spheres such as health, education, poverty alleviation and the environment.

He also added that firstly CMGF will support 150 cataract eye surgeries further giving attention to improve eye care services and mediocre conditions in Sri Lanka.

“We are willing to make every effort to improve livelihoods for the poor, for people struggling with eye diseases, and anyone else in need. These shared values and goals enhance mutual understanding and build stronger ties of friendship between China Merchants and Sri Lanka.”

College of Ophthalmologists Sri Lanka President Dr. Pradeepa Siriwardena stated that following the donation surgeries will take place around the country including the North and the East.

She went on to say: “With this donation we will be able to eliminate cataract related blindness. This is the most common course of preventable eye disease in the country and is hindered by the non availability of resources. The National Eye Hospital assesses the financial status of patients and maintains a register of persons in need of Intra Ocular Lenses. Donors can find a patient from that list and donate the lenses directly to the patient at the National Eye Hospital. Large donations of this nature will enable us to reduce the waiting list very quickly.”

Kidney hospital funded by China to start operations in 3 years

The Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) hospital will be up and running within the next three years, the Chinese Ambassador said.

“Last year during the Chinese president Xi Jingping’s visit to Sri Lanka a substantial amount of funding was allocated to healthcare. As a result the CKD hospital is in its construction stages and we are hoping to complete work within the next three years,” Chinese Ambassador for Sri Lanka Yi Xianliang said.

The project kicked off as a result of President Maithripala Sirisena’s request to the Chinese Government earlier this year, to assist Sri Lanka in the process of cure and prevention of kidney diseases.

Commenting on the Chinese Government’s support for the upliftment of the local healthcare industry Minister of Healthcare and Indigenous Medicine Dr. Rajitha Senaratne noted that the Sri Lankan Government is grateful for the generosity of the Chinese Government and private institutions which aids the lower income group of the country to garner access to healthcare services.